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PBSO Identifies Woman Whose Remains Were Found Near Boynton Beach in 2023
On May 11, 2023, unidentified human remains were discovered in Palm Beach County, Florida. Through funding provided by the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA’s) Missing and Identified Human Remains (MUHR) Program, DNA was extracted from the remains, a partial profile was developed, and the profile was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) Forensic Imaging Unit also developed and publicly released a facial reconstruction; however, neither CODIS nor public outreach generated viable leads. PBSO subsequently submitted the case for Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) analysis using funding from the PBSO Forensic Genetic Testing grant awarded by the State of Florida. This analysis generated investigative leads suggesting 75-year-old Regina Hess as a potential match. MUHR-funded kinship analysis, combined with the FGG findings, confirmed the identification in August 2026.
September 2026