Mystery lingers after body found in dumpster in 1988 is identified, Georgia cops say
More than three decades after a body was found wrapped in plastic in a Georgia dumpster, investigators say they have identified the remains – but the mystery of the woman’s death remains.
On a Sunday afternoon in February 1988, investigators were called about the discovery of a body in a dumpster in Millen, according to an Oct. 23 news release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The body had been wrapped in plastic and duct tape, then placed inside a nylon suitcase and dumped, investigators said.
An autopsy showed the person had been dead for at least four days, maybe more, and had died of asphyxiation, according to the release.
Investigators compared the fingerprints and dental records of the unidentified body to missing persons records across the U.S. but didn’t find any matches.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s forensic artist sketched what the deceased may have looked like, showing a young woman of Asian descent.
Investigators were unable to find a lead, and the body remained a Jane Doe.
Then, in 2023, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation reached out to Othram Inc., a Texas-based genealogy company, according to the release.
The company specializes in creating a genetic profile for unidentified people and then using the profile to find living relatives.
Using DNA collected in 1988, Othram created a profile for the woman, and investigators followed her genetic line to relatives.
Investigators positively identified the woman as 26-year-old Chong Un Kim, according to the release.
Kim moved to the United States in 1981 and lived in Hinesville, Georgia, before her death in 1988.
Despite having more information about Kim, the mystery of who killed her, and why, remains today.
Investigators ask that anyone with information about Kim or the case contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at 912-871-1121 or by submitting an online tip.
Millen is about 170 southeast of Atlanta.
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