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Discovery Of Tent Girl
- Wilbur Riddle found a decomposing nude female wrapped in green canvas tarp and rope in Georgetown, Kentucky on May 17, 1968.
- The body was nicknamed “Tent Girl” because she was wrapped in tent-like canvas and buried unidentified for decades.
Limits Of 1968 Forensic Work
- Investigators rehydrated the victim's fingertips to attempt fingerprinting and used dental records noting a midline gap to try identification.
- Decomposition prevented a clear cause of death and ruled out obvious wounds at autopsy.
Mistaken Identification And Manual Searches
- Police matched many missing-person index cards manually and briefly believed a Maryland teen matched Tent Girl, prompting the family to plan a funeral.
- An anonymous tip ten days later revealed that teen was alive, exposing limitations of the manual search process.