In a shocking turn of events, a 56-year-old woman from Georgia has been arrested on felony murder charges, nearly 35 years after her 5-year-old daughter was found dead. The girl, who has been known as Baby Jane Doe since her remains were discovered in 1988, has finally been identified as Kenyatta Odom. The announcement was made by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) during a press conference. Special Agent in Charge Jason Seacrist revealed that the child's body was found wrapped up in a blanket inside of a duffel bag, which had been put in a TV cabinet encased in concrete at an illegal dump site near Millwood, Georgia in Ware County.

The case had remained unsolved for decades, with investigators unable to identify the young victim. She did not match any of the local missing children reports, and despite following hundreds of leads and tips, authorities were unable to make any progress. However, a lead emerged when an Albany Herald newspaper was discovered at the Ware County dumping site, suggesting a connection to Albany, Georgia, nearly 100 miles away.

In 2019, agents turned to genome sequencing in an attempt to identify the girl. Through this technology, they were able to determine that a certain family tree from the Albany area was likely related to the victim. However, they still struggled to positively identify Kenyatta Odom until a crucial tip was received earlier this year. The tipster, who saw news reports on the anniversary of the girl's death in 2022, contacted the police. The tipster revealed that they had never believed the story that the child had gone to live with her father, as her mother had claimed.

Following the breakthrough in identifying Kenyatta Odom, her mother, Evelyn Odom, and Ulyster Sanders, who was Evelyn's live-in boyfriend at the time of the child's death, were arrested on Thursday. The arrests were made without incident. The two suspects have been charged with felony murder, first-degree cruelty to children, aggravated battery, concealing a death, and conspiracy to conceal the death of another person. Officials have not disclosed the current relationship between Evelyn Odom and Sanders.

The news of the arrests has brought a sense of closure to the case, as the girl is no longer unnamed and unknown. GBI Special Agent in Charge Jason Seacrist expressed the commitment to bringing justice to Kenyatta. However, authorities have not shared a possible motive in the case or revealed how the girl died. A medical examiner concluded in 1988 that her death was a homicide, but the exact cause of death was never determined.

The arrest of Evelyn Odom and Ulyster Sanders marks a significant breakthrough in a case that has haunted investigators for over three decades. The discovery of Kenyatta Odom's body, encased in concrete and discarded in the woods, shocked the community and left investigators puzzled for years. Now, through advancements in forensic technology and the persistence of law enforcement, the mystery of Baby Jane Doe has finally been solved. As the case progresses through the legal system, there is hope that justice will be served for Kenyatta Odom.