On July 17, 1982, hikers walking near Sheep's Flat off Mount Rose Highway, overlooking the pristine alpine waters of Lake Tahoe in Washoe County, Nevada, discovered the body of a young woman lying in a dirt turnaround. She had been sexually assaulted and shot in the back of the head. For thirty-seven years, "Sheep's Flat Jane Doe" stood as one of the Sierra Nevada's most enduring mysteries.
Discovery, Clothing & Ballistics Evidence
The victim was approximately 25 to 35 years old, 5 feet 5 inches tall, and 140 pounds, with hazel eyes and short brown hair. She was dressed in a blue-and-yellow ski jacket, Levi's jeans, and distinctive yellow tennis shoes with sheepskin insoles.
Ballistics experts recovered a .22 caliber slug from her skull. Investigators noted that while her clothing labels were intact, she carried no purse or identification. A surgical laparoscopy scar on her abdomen indicated she had undergone prior gynecological medical procedures.
Chronological Case Timeline
| Date / Year | Location | Event / Investigative Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| July 17, 1982 | Sheep's Flat, Lake Tahoe, NV | Body discovered by hikers; dubbed "Sheep's Flat Jane Doe." |
| 2007 | Washoe County | Case entered into NamUs as UP8427; semen evidence from crime scene preserved. |
| 2018 | DNA Doe Project | Washoe County SO detective partners with Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick and Margaret Press. |
| Feb 2019 | Sebastopol, CA | Victim identified as 33-year-old Mary Silvani of Pontiac, Michigan. |
| May 7, 2019 | Reno, NV | Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam announces both victim and killer identified via genetic genealogy. |