A long-unidentified homicide victim known for decades as “Becca Doe” has finally been given her name.

Investigators announced this week that the young woman has been identified as Becca Mallekoote, who was born on March 4, 1973.

The breakthrough came through the work of the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center in partnership with the Albuquerque Police Department and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.

For years, the victim was known only by the placeholder name “Becca Doe,” a common label used in unidentified person cases. But thanks to advanced DNA analysis and genetic genealogy research, investigators were finally able to connect the victim’s DNA to relatives and determine her identity.

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The case relied on modern investigative tools and collaboration with several forensic partners, including Parabon NanoLabs, genealogy platform GEDmatch, and sequencing technology provided by Verogen.

Officials with the Ramapo-based investigative center said the identification came on what would have been Mallekoote’s 53rd birthday, giving the announcement additional emotional weight.

The identification closes a decades-long mystery and may now help investigators learn more about her life and the circumstances surrounding her death.

Ramapo College’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center has played a growing role in helping law enforcement agencies across the country solve cold cases by using DNA and genealogy databases to identify victims and suspects.

See a full list of the cases they are working on.

With Mallekoote’s identity finally confirmed, investigators hope the focus can shift toward telling her story and seeking answers about what happened to her.