Virginia Beach Police Release DNA Composite of Woman Found Near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in 1976

For half a century, a woman found in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay has had no name. Now the Virginia Beach Police Department is trying something new, and it is asking the public to take a close look.

On October 22, 2026, the department released a composite image of the woman, created from her DNA. Police say the picture is not a photograph and not an exact likeness, but they hope it will be close enough for someone, somewhere, to recognize her.

What happened in 1976

According to the City of Virginia Beach, the woman's body was discovered on May 30, 1976, in the water near the First Island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Because of the condition of her remains, investigators could not identify her at the time.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide and estimated that she had been killed within 48 hours of being found. Police say that despite decades of investigative work, her identity is still unknown, and her killer has never been publicly identified.

What police know about her

The department describes the victim as a white woman believed to be between 35 and 45 years old. She was about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed between 135 and 145 pounds.

Two details could matter a great deal to anyone who knew her. She had a scar about five inches long on the back of her right thigh, and medical examiners found signs that she had given birth at least once. That means there may be a son or daughter, now likely middle aged or older, who never learned what happened to their mother.

How the new image was made

Virginia Beach police and the medical examiner's office worked with Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia company that specializes in genetic analysis. The company used a process called DNA phenotyping, which predicts physical traits and ancestry from genetic material.

Using DNA recovered in the case, Parabon predicted the woman's ancestry, eye color, hair color, skin tone, freckling and face shape. Forensic artists then combined those traits into what is called a snapshot composite.

The image shows how she may have looked at age 25 with an average build. Police explain that DNA cannot reveal a person's age or weight, so those standard settings are used. Things like smoking, diet, hairstyle and scars also cannot be predicted from DNA, so the real woman may have looked somewhat different.

Why this case still matters

The City of Virginia Beach notes that there are more than 15,500 unresolved unidentified persons cases across the United States. Each one represents a family that may still be waiting for an answer, and a person who deserves to have her name back.

Genetic tools have changed what is possible in old cases like this one. Families of missing people can also help. Police say relatives can voluntarily give DNA samples, known as Family Reference Samples, to be compared only against unidentified remains. Those profiles are legally protected and cannot be used for any other investigative purpose. Anyone with a missing close relative can contact the agency that took the original missing person report.

How you can help

Detectives are asking people to look at the composite and share it widely. You can find it on the City of Virginia Beach website and the police department's Cold Case Investigations page.

If you recognize her, or have any information about this case, call the Virginia Beach Cold Case Squad Tipline at 757-385-4241. Anonymous tips can be given through Crime Solvers at 1-888-568-5887 or online at P3Tips.com.

A woman lost her life in 1976, and her family may still be wondering where she went. Fifty years later, one phone call could finally give her back her name.

Source: City of Virginia Beach, "VBPD Uses Advanced DNA Tech to Recreate Face of 50 Year Cold Case Murder Victim," October 22, 2026.