Cold Cases

TWIN FALLS COUNTY, Idaho – In September 2014, a kayaker discovered the body of a woman below the Perrine Bridge. The Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office actively investigated the case until February 2016, with leads pursued until August 2020, when the case was deemed “inactive” and the death was ruled a suicide. In December 2021, ICCADM reached out to assist, and by April 2022, a genetic genealogy search produced a lead. The woman was identified as Cynthia Gunnerson, and her parents, while grateful for answers, continue to grieve her loss.

POWELL, Idaho – In September 1983, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) investigated an abandoned camp near White Sand Road but found no identification among the items. In 1984, human skeletal remains were discovered by hunters about a mile from the camp, but despite extensive efforts, the remains remained unidentified.

In November 2020, the ICCADM assisted with forensic genetic genealogy, and by March 2022, investigative leads were provided to ICSO. Investigators contacted a potential sibling in Oklahoma City, who confirmed her brother had disappeared in early 1982. DNA reference samples from family members were provided, confirming a familial match.

JEROME, Idaho – In August 1995, Jerome Police responded to the homicide of an 84-year-old woman. Although three potential suspects were identified, no concrete evidence linked anyone to the crime, and the case eventually went cold. Over the years, detectives continued to review the case and apply new technological advancements.

In June 2022, detectives sought assistance from ICCADM and submitted DNA for analysis. By March 2023, a suspect was identified—the victim’s neighbor with no known personal connection. The suspect had died by suicide about a year before being identified. The victim’s family has been notified, and the case is now closed.

POCATELLO, Idaho – On July 13, 2024, partial skeletal remains were discovered near the Pacific Steel & Recycling trailhead by the Portneuf River. The Pocatello Police Department responded and recovered the remains.

The ICCADM worked with law enforcement and the coroner’s office to identify the remains. While the family has been notified, the identity will not be released due to the ongoing investigation.

LEWISTON, Idaho – In June 1982, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in the Snake River near the mouth of the Grand Ronde River in Nez Perce County, Idaho. Nez Perce County is located in northwest Idaho, bordering the southeast corner of Washington. The Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, where it was determined the remains were those of a white male.

SANDPOINT, Idaho – A former Bonner County resident guilty of voluntary manslaughter was sentenced to serve the maximum sentence of 15 years in prison in connection with the 2019 disappearance of Rae Allison Berwanger.

Jordan Jarrad Law, 46, was arrested September 18, 2024, in connection to the murder of Berwanger, who was 54 at the time of her disappearance in 2019. He was originally charged with second-degree murder, offering false or forged instruments for the record, and destruction of evidence. He was also indicted on two counts of rape in connection with an additional victim discovered during the investigation.

Law entered an Alford Plea on September 4, 2025, to an amended charge of voluntary manslaughter and the other charges were dismissed.  As part of the plea, Law faced a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine. Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall sought the maximum penalty.

A lengthy investigation by the Bonner County Sheriff’s detectives, with the assistance of the Idaho State Police SAKI (Sexual Assault Kit Initiative) program, preceded the indictment of Law by a Bonner County grand jury on September 17, 2024.

FORT HALL RIVER, Idaho – In July 2022, a fisherman discovered a human skull along the Fort Hall River in Power County, Idaho. Investigators from the Fort Hall Police Department, the FBI’s Pocatello Office, and the Power County Coroner’s Office responded, but no additional remains were found. The skull was later submitted to the FBI Lab for DNA and anthropological analysis and 3D facial approximation images were produced for media and law enforcement use.

In April 2024, the Power County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) requested assistance from the Idaho State Police (ISP) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Team with identifying the skull.  In May 2025, the skull was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), and a bulletin was distributed to law enforcement agencies by the Rocky Mountain Information Network (RMIN).  Two possible matches were identified. On June 26, 2025, NamUs confirmed through dental records the remains belonged to Lesiah Olivia Pickett, a missing woman from Spokane, Washington. Pickett had been missing since late 2019, with her last known locations being American Falls and Pocatello, Idaho. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Power County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Hall PD, the ISP SAKI Unit, RMIN, FBI, NamUs, the Pocatello Police Department, and the Power and Ada County Coroner’s Offices.

SHOW LOW, Idaho – In May 2025, human skeletal remains were turned over to the Idaho State Police.  It was reported these remains were found in 1974 outside of Show Low, Arizona, which is near the Fort Apache Native American Reservation.  The ICCADM coordinated with the Idaho State University Anthropology department who examined the remains.  This examination determined the remains were skeletal fragments from at least two individuals who are likely pre-contact (archaeological).  Based on this information, the Nohwike’ Bagowa Apache Cultural Center and Museum in Fort Apache, Arizona, was contacted.  In July 2025, the remains were returned to the museum and the Apache community with respect for their customs, religion, and traditions.

VALLEY COUNTY, Idaho – A sexual assault case that went unsolved for nearly two decades has now been closed, due to advances in DNA technology and renewed investigative efforts by the Valley County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho State Police (ISP) Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Cold Case Unit.

Law enforcement used forensic investigative genetic genealogy to link the DNA profile from this 2005 case to a person of interest.  Although the individual had died years earlier, further DNA testing of family members and other corroborative information confirmed that this individual was the likely perpetrator.

LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho – A missing person case that went cold in Lemhi County in 2019 has been solved after human remains discovered west of North Fork, Idaho, in November 2025 were identified as Bobby Lee Rodriguez.