Authorities in Florida Solve 1998 Cold Case Murder

Eileen Truppner’s killer will finally be brought to justice as authorities wonder how many more deaths he is responsible for.

Verity Partington
Veritas True Crime

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A picture of murder victim Eileen Truppner
Eileen Truppner (main image) and her Jane Doe profile (inset). Images: Broward County Sheriff’s Office

A cold case murder dating back to 1998 has been solved in Florida thanks to genetic genealogy and new testing of evidence found at the crime scene.

It was revealed back in May 2023 that an unidentified body known only as Jane Doe had been named as Eileen Truppner, Broward County Sheriff’s Office said at a news conference.

Eileen was a Puerto Rican native who had moved to South Florida to take English classes. She had two children and was much loved by her relatives and friends, who said she was a kind and caring young woman.

However, she disappeared in 1998 and was never seen again. Unbeknown to her loved ones, Eileen’s body was discovered by a boater near a boat ramp close to US Route 27, but it could not be identified and she was recorded only as ‘Jane Doe’ by the sheriff’s office.

Decades passed and the case went cold, but authorities decided to revisit the murder after it was suggested Jane Doe may have been the victim of a Brazilian suspect named Roberto Fernandes, who was linked to two killings in Florida in the early 2000s.

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Verity Partington
Veritas True Crime

A writer and author of crime thrillers living in the UK. Partial to books, stationery, papercrafts and walking. You can find her books on Amazon here: https://a