Texas Murder Victim Identified 43 Years After Discovery

Texas Department of Public Safety investigators have identified a murder victim nearly 43 years after her skeletal remains were discovered by ranchers near Highway 36 in Hamilton County. The woman was identified as Betty Jo Norris, a 44-year-old mother who had been missing since the early 1980s.

Investigators announced Monday that a breakthrough in the cold case came in July, thanks to advanced DNA testing and genealogy research. A family member in Belton provided a DNA sample, which led to the positive identification of Norris.

"After 43 years, Betty Jo Norris has her name back, and her family finally has an answer," Hamilton County Sheriffs said.

Norris' body was discovered on September 1, 1983. Investigators at the time believed the body had been by the side of the highway for several months due to its state of decomposition. Evidence found at the scene included brown knee-length boots, a blue and white polka dot blouse, blue jeans, a Timex watch with a brown strap, bobby pins, and two barrettes with orange roses.

Initial attempts to identify the victim using DNA testing were unsuccessful. The case went cold for nearly two decades until 2005, when investigators began reprocessing the evidence. They discovered degraded male DNA on her clothing, but it could not be processed for further leads.

Funding from the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative program allowed Texas investigators to conduct further research, ultimately leading to the identification of Norris' son, who is in his 60s. He confirmed his mother had gone missing in the early 1980s.

Authorities are continuing to search for the individual responsible for Norris' death, which they described as a "brutal" murder.