Doe ID: Donna Lass

Episode 181 Doe ID: Donna Lass

In 1986, a human skull was found along Highway 20 and Interstate 80, 45 miles northwest of South Lake Tahoe, CA. At the time, investigators couldn't come to many conclusions other than the fact the skull belonged to a young woman, likely in her 20s, and she had been murdered. Years later DNA & genealogy would finally reveal the truth; the skull belonged to Donna Ann Lass, a 25 year-old nurse who vanished on September 6,1970 after finishing her shift at the Sahara Hotel Casino. An unknown man called Donna's employer to tell her Donna had left town for a family emergency, which turned out not to be true. Donna Lass was never seen again. It didn't take long for an infamous serial killer, 'The Zodiac', to seemingly latch himself to Donna's case, possibly providing clues, and taunting investigators. For decades, Zodiac's possible involvement muddied the waters in the Lass investigation. All these years later, we may know what happened to Donna, but we don't know who was responsible.

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