Burned body identified as 35-year-old woman in NC cold case from 1968; suspect died in 1992
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- After decades of not knowing, the identity of a burn victim in Wake County who was murdered has been uncovered by the sheriff's office.
A woman's body was found on April 28, 1968, in a field near Lake Wheeler Road and Ten Ten Road in southern Wake County. Witnesses reported seeing a fire in the field on the night before the discovery of the body.
The victim was determined to be approximately 35 years old, but was so badly burned that she could not be identified at the time.
In 2004, information gathered by investigators and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) led to a suspect, Robert Reagan, who lived in Raleigh. There was enough evidence to charge him with murder, but he died in 1992.
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The sheriff's office did not close the case because the victim was still unidentified.
In 2024, the victim's hair was submitted to Astrea Forensics to do DNA analysis. The DNA results were then analyzed by a forensic genealogist with First Genes LLC., which led to the identification of potential relatives.
Wake County investigators recently met with those relatives, where additional DNA testing confirmed their relation to the victim, who was identified as Myrtle Holcomb, born in 1919.
"The entire Wake County Sheriff's Office offers our sincere condolences to Myrtle's loved ones. Our hope is that this information provides the family with long-sought answers and reassurance that she has not been forgotten," Sheriff Willie Rowe said. "Our office does not put unsolved cases on a shelf never to be touched again. Investigators work diligently with the hope of one day closing every single one, no matter how long it takes."
The genealogist behind solving the case said using hair in these kinds of cases was a new advancement..
"This is the second case that I've been able to solve with forensic genetic genealogy, and it's a wonderful feeling to be able to give someone an answer after all these years," said Leslie Kaufman of First Genes LLC.
At the time of her death, Holcomb had recently traveled from Florida to Raleigh.
Holcomb's hair was kept as evidence at the sheriff's office for 57 years.
"The men and women of the NC SBI send our love and support to the family of Myrtle Holcomb," said Chip Hawley, NC SBI Director. "The SBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to finding the truth in every case, no matter how long it takes. This case is an example of how technology is helping us advance these cases. The SBI has hope that, in time, the truth will be exposed in all cases and that those responsible will be held accountable."
Holcomb's family members requested privacy and asked to remain anonymous, but ABC11 was informed that she was married and had two children.
She was originally from Florida, and family members didn't know how she ended up in Raleigh.
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