Howard County Identifies Jane Doe in 54-Year Cold Case, Reunites Surviving Children

Howard County police have identified the victim in the county's oldest cold case homicide from 1971 as Sadie Belle Murray, who was also known as Sarah Belle Sharkey at the time of her death. She was found unconscious after an apparent assault in a Woodstock field and died from her injuries on her 47th birthday. Advances in DNA profiling and genealogy technology enabled the cold case unit to identify her and locate her two surviving children, Charles Leroy Sharkey and Mildred Marie Cantwell, who were reunited in July 2025 after decades apart and without knowledge of each other or their mother's fate. Police Chief Gregory Der praised the combination of advanced technology and dedicated police work that solved the mystery after more than 50 years. While the homicide remains unsolved, authorities hope the breakthrough will help crack the case, and a reward is being offered for information. The reunion has brought closure to the family, with the siblings expressing gratitude for finally learning about their mother and reconnecting.