Kids playing in a small wooded area behind the Club House Diner on Street Road in Bensalem Township found something they’re likely to never forget on September 18, 1995.
The kids uncovered the skeletal remains of a
Advertisements
Despite an ongoing investigation and tips over the years, Bensalem Township authorities weren’t able to identify her. In fact, they had ruled out numerous possible women who they suspected the body might have belonged to.
“Over 50 missing women were excluded as being Jane Doe,” police said in a statement.
In May 2004, Bensalem Township police exhumed the woman’s remains and sent samples to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification where a DNA profile was extracted and uploaded into the national CODIS system. It was all part of an attempt to identify her, and names were crossed out, but no positive identification was uncovered.
Advertisements
That changed recently.
Bensalem Township police said Monday they are “confident” the body belonged to Merrybeth Hodgkinson, who was 31 years old and lived in Warminster. She also was known to have lived on Rhawn Street in Philadelphia, the George Washington Motor Lodge, and the Oakford Inn.
Advertisements
Police said Hodgkinson disappeared in September 1992 after visiting with family. She was working at the time as an exotic dancer in Lower Bucks County.
BODE Technology, a DNA analysis firm area police have worked with for years, developed a DNA profile for the unknown woman’s remains in November 2021. Working with BODE and Jennifer Moore, of Innovative Forensic Investigations, police were able to link the body to Hodgkinson through GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA.com, companies that allow users to find relatives through DNA samples.
Police said they also tested the DNA of Hodgkinson’s siblings as part of their investigation.
Advertisements
Hodgkinson’s remains rest in Telford and her grave lists her as a Jane Doe.
No arrests have been made in connection with Hodgkinson’s death.
Advertisements
Several items of interest were located near Hodgkinson’s body in 1995. Police said they’re not sure if the items were connected, but they suspect some or all may have belonged to her.
A blue quilted sleeveless vest, a pink t-shirt with “KPMG Peat Marwick,” and a white T-shirt with “Property of Alcatraz Penitentiary Swim Team, San Francisco” printed on it were located. A brown beaded seat cushion (possibly used in an vehicle) and two crucifixes, one gold and one silver, were also found near the remains.
Advertisements
Police asked anyone who knew Hodgkinson or who may have information on the death to contact Bensalem Township Detective Chris McMullin at 215-633-3726 or Bucks County Detective Greg Beidler at 215-348-6344.
Report a correction via email | Editorial standards and policies
