Investigators and officials have launched a crowdfunding project to crack open a 30-year-old cold case in McDonald County.
A Texas-based lab, Othram, is now taking on the case and hopes to secure funding for its work. An online link to the campaign launched just last week, according to Olivia Ytterberg, Othram social impact manager.
Othram is partnering with the McDonald County Sheriff's Office to explore DNA that could lead to identifying the victim or the killer.
People interested in helping with the "Grace Doe" campaign can contribute money and/or submit their DNA to the cause, Ytterberg said.
"We've had a lot of online interest and support for Grace Doe's case so far," Ytterberg said. "People are very excited that this case is getting another look. We hope to have the case funded by the end of the year."
The victim in the cold case -- Grace Doe -- was discovered on Dec. 2, 1990, near an abandoned farmhouse on Oscar Talley Road, between Lanagan and Pineville, according to reports. A couple collecting cans discovered her remains. Her killer utilized six different types of cord and clothesline for bondage, Ytterberg said. The six different types of cord included military cord that was not available to the public in 1990, reports said.
Investigators believe Doe was raped before being strangled.
The age-old mystery has perplexed local authorities, who have worked tirelessly for three decades to connect the dots and bring the killer to justice.
Doe was dubbed "Grace," thanks to a former investigator, who said the case would be solved "by the grace of God."
As Othram staffers launch into the case, officials say people can contribute in a variety of ways: monetarily; by sharing the case online; and/or uploading DNA to be stored in the lab to help cases.
Othram's price tag for analyzing DNA in the Grace Doe case is $5,000.
Othram is the world's first private DNA lab that conducts the entire process in-house. Lab personnel use DNA enrichment, modern genome sequencing and genealogy.
People who contribute their DNA help build a broader bank of matches. That can help narrow down the victim or the assailant, Ytterberg said.
People are able to submit their DNA and upload that information through https://dnasolves.com/articles/grace_doe/.
Othram officials also have recently assisted law enforcement in solving cases in Toronto, Canada, and Missoula, Mont.
Othram staffers "built genealogical profiles for perpetrators of violent crime," Ytterberg said.
Anyone who has information that could help the "Grace Doe" investigation move forward is encouraged to contact the McDonald County Sheriff's Office at 417-223-4319.