It was a warm August afternoon in 1975 when 13-year-old Laura O’Malley vanished from her quiet neighborhood in Long Beach, New York.
All she left behind was a cryptic note, offering more questions than answers.
But now, almost five decades later, a shocking discovery has come to light — one that may finally expose what really happened to Laura…
Sharing her photo throughout Manhattan
On August 26, 1975, Laura left her home in Long Beach, New York, and never returned. Before leaving, she wrote a note to her mother and stepfather, saying she wouldn’t come back as long as her stepfather was still living there. Even after the couple split a year later, Laura remained missing.
“Missing persons detectives concerned about the vulnerability of a young girl on her own in this city have pursued countless leads but have turned up no hard information about where she may be,” the article stated.
Ever since Laura vanished, her brother and two sisters never gave up hope. For years, they kept her memory alive by sharing her photo throughout Manhattan, convinced she may have run away to the city.
Partial skeletal remains found
Two decades after Laura vanished, a discovery on the other side of the country would change everything. On March 22, 1995, human bones were found in a riverbed near Highway 129 in Santa Cruz County, roughly 30 miles south of San Jose.
At the time, investigators believed the bones were likely from an old homestead burial rather than those of a missing person. Testing later confirmed in 2016 that the remains belonged to a woman, but her identity remained a mystery.
After decades of uncertainty, a breakthrough finally came through cutting-edge forensic science.
Radiocarbon dating revealed that the girl whose remains were found in a Santa Cruz County riverbed had likely been born between 1964 and 1967 and died sometime between 1977 and 1984.
DNA analysis
This information helped narrow the age range — investigators determined she was likely between 13 and 17 years old when she died, standing between 5’1″ and 5’7″, and likely had brown hair with European ancestry.
With no name to go on, the case remained cold until Othram, a forensic laboratory specializing in DNA analysis, stepped in. Using advanced techniques like Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing, scientists were able to extract a viable DNA profile from the deteriorated remains.
That profile was the key.
Othram’s genetic genealogy team began mapping out possible family connections. Their work led to living relatives — and finally, a name: Laura Ann O’Malley.
”Although the circumstances of her disappearance remain unclear, her identification marks a crucial step in resolving her case,” Othram said in a statement. Investigators are now working to piece together what happened in the years leading to her tragic end.
Remains a mystery
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office expressed deep appreciation for the work of genealogist Deborah Medina and Deputy Casandra Galotti, who put blood, sweat, and tears into the case and helped bring Laura’s identity to light.
“We are deeply grateful for our partnership with Othram and the use of forensic advancements that have provided long-awaited answers to Laura’s family,” the department shared.
It remains unclear when the teenager made her way to California — or what events led her there. Though one piece of the puzzle has finally fallen into place, the exact circumstances surrounding O’Malley’s disappearance and death remain a mystery, as the case is still open.
“There are still some questions about [whether] she left on her own accord or if she was forced to leave, or if she was kidnapped and taken to California,” Ashley Keehn, a public information officer for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, told People.
“So, that is something that’s still not known and under investigation.”
Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the sheriff’s office at (831) 471-1121.
“We’re hoping that by this case getting so much attention and bringing it to light that it might jog someone’s memory,” Keehn says. “They might remember seeing her in California or before she left New York and give us a call.”