Van Buren County I-196 Jane Doe Has Been Identified

A mystery that began more than 30 years ago has finally been solved. I-196 Jane Doe found in Covert Township near Interstate 196 has a name. Marcia Kaylynn Bateman was reported missing decades ago from Oklahoma.

Marcia was 28-years-old when last seen. By all accounts, Marcia was somewhat transient and had been living on the streets.

Genealogy testing broke the case wide open. This past spring, authorities were able to submit a femur bone from the then "Jane Doe" to be compared against DNA submitted to a public genealogy database, thanks to a private donation. That testing developed a possible match in just five weeks.

Now that the "who" is known, Michigan State Police from the Paw Paw Post are investigating how Marcia Kaylynn Bateman died. The case has now shifted to a death investigation.

Detectives with the Paw Paw Post have been conducting interviews to try to determine what happened to Marcia and just how she ended up in Michigan

Anyone with information about Marcia is asked to call Michigan State Police at the Paw Paw Post at 269-657-5551.