Patricia Newsom: East Haven Jane Doe Identified

1975 - East Haven, Connecticut.

On a warm August morning in 1975, a young woman's body was discovered in the drainage ditch behind Bradlee's Department Store in East Haven, Connecticut. She had died of asphyxia and was tightly wrapped in a tarp. Nobody knew who she was.

For decades, investigators were haunted by the unknown identity of the woman. As the years passed, hope persisted that the next generation would have the technology to restore her identity and bring her family justice.

In April of 2023, Police finally had their break: Through genetic genealogy, the East Haven Jane Doe was officially identified as Patricia Meleady Newsom, an 18-year-old girl who had reportedly run away from a boarding school in New York sometime between 1973 and 1974.

Maryann Collette has spent the past few years searching for her sister, while East Haven Police Captain Joseph Murgo has been trying to identify their Jane Doe. 

Listen now to hear the remarkable circumstances that brought them together, the challenges of piecing together Patricia's life from 1973 to August 1975, and get a special look behind the scenes at how investigators today are trying to solve this New England mystery. 

This is Patricia “Tricia” Meleady Newsom's story on Murder, She Told.

If you have any information on the murder of Patricia Newsom, please contact Capt. Joe Murgo of the East Haven Police at (203) 468-3820.

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