Community
Media Release: Jane Doe Identified
| Nature of Incident: | Jane Doe Identified | ||||
| Report Number: | 90-55883 | ||||
| Location: | Highway 33 and Creek Rd. Ojai, CA | ||||
| Date & Time: | July 23, 1990 | ||||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Bureau Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office National Missing and Unidentified Persons System |
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| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence |
Age | |||
| (D) Patricia Diana Hunt Fielding | Taft | 57 | |||
| Narrative: |
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| On July 23, 1990, partial human remains were discovered near Highway 33 and Creek Road in the unincorporated area of Ojai. Fire Department personnel were assisting with a traffic collision located down an embankment when they discovered the remains. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Team responded to the scene and assisted in the search for additional evidence. The Medical Examiner’s Office also responded and recovered the remains for further examination. The Medical Examiner determined the remains belonged to a female estimated to be between 30 and 60 years of age, with an estimated height of approximately 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 6 inches. The cause and manner of death could not be determined. Evidence was subsequently submitted to the California Department of Justice for DNA analysis. A DNA profile was developed and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The case was also entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP15158. In February 2025, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit and the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office partnered with Othram to pursue advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy in an effort to identify the woman. Skeletal remains were submitted to Othram, where advanced DNA testing was used to develop a suitable DNA extract. Othram then performed Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to generate a comprehensive DNA profile, which was used to develop investigative leads. Through continued investigative efforts, detectives identified a family who had not heard from a relative in several decades. A Family Reference Sample was obtained and compared to the unidentified human remains. The comparison resulted in a positive identification. The woman has now been identified as Patricia Diana Hunt Fielding, born October 15, 1933, in Kern County, California. Patricia was a mother of four children. Despite the identification, little is known about her life or the circumstances surrounding her death. Investigators hope that releasing her name will help provide additional information about her life, her whereabouts prior to the discovery of her remains, and the circumstances surrounding her death. Anyone with information regarding Patricia Diana Hunt Fielding or her whereabouts prior to July 23, 1990, is asked to contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at (805) 383-8739 or [email protected]. |
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| Prepared by: | Investigator Araseli Ruiz-Acevedo | ||||
| News Release Date: | 10/14/2026 | ||||
| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit (805) 383-8739 [email protected] |
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| Approved by: Photo Release: |
Captain Victor Medina YES NO |
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Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511