According to a Washington County Sheriff’s Department media release, the Washington County authorities have identified the victim in a cold case that has remained unsolved for more than 30
years.
Officials say human remains found in Washington and Ramsey counties in June of 1993 have been confirmed as those of 27-year-old Denise Elaine Sexton Hartley of St. Paul.
Investigators say a severed human head was discovered near the shore of Bone Lake in Scandia on June 12, 1993. A day later, a human foot was found in Pig’s Eye Lake in St. Paul. Despite years of investigative work, authorities were unable to identify the remains.
The case took a major turn in 2024 when the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office partnered with the DNA Doe Project to use investigative genetic genealogy. The effort helped detectives trace family connections to Denise Hartley.
Detectives traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to interview family members and obtained a DNA sample from Hartley’s
daughter. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension later confirmed the identification through DNA testing.
Washington County Sheriff’s Detective Clayton Evens called the identification a reminder that advances in science can someday answer questions that once seemed impossible to solve.
Sheriff Dan Starry said the case demonstrates the department’s commitment to seeking answers for victims and their families, no matter how much time has passed.
Authorities stress that the investigation into Hartley’s death remains active. The cause and manner of death have not been determined, and no arrests have been made.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 651-430-7850.
[Click the soundbite to listen to the report.]