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Woman beaten, stabbed, set on fire, found in Pacific Beach identified after 42 years

The body of 51-year-old Elaine Armstrong was discovered behind an office-supply store in the 1700 block of Garnet Avenue on Oct. 16, 1981.

SAN DIEGO — A DNA match has led to the long-awaited identification of a woman who was found savagely murdered in Pacific Beach more than 40 years ago.

The body of 51-year-old Elaine Armstrong was discovered behind an office-supply store in the 1700 block of Garnet Avenue on Oct. 16, 1981. Armstrong, a former Kalamazoo, Michigan, resident who was homeless at the time of her death, had been beaten, stabbed and set on fire, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Armstrong's identity remained a mystery until a DNA profile recently developed by Othram, a private forensic biotechnology company, finally led to a major break in the case, SDPD Lt. Jud Campbell said.

"Cold-case homicides, particularly those with unidentified victims, are a continuous priority for the (SDPD) and the San Diego County District Attorney's Office," the lieutenant said Tuesday. "Investigators have been working together on this case, exhausting all possible leads (and) hoping identification of the victim will assist with finding the identity of her killer."

Lydia Ansel and Justin Woo co-founded Project Justice. Their group works with Othram to help identify cold case victims. 

"It's incredible to find when they have these results come in and to give a name to someone who has been missing for so long," Ansel said. 

These leads help law enforcement agencies investigate further. 

"She had just been part of the community and people had seen her around and there are so many cases like that," Woo said. "We are glad to be able to give her her real name back."

Credit: Courtesy of San Diego Police Department

 

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