Body Found in 2013 Identified as Missing West Texas Juvenile

            The body of Sylvia Nicole Smith, a Midland County Texas teenager who went missing in 2000, has been identified as remains in 2013. Despite finding the remains nearly a decade ago, the journey to identify who they are spanned numerous organizations and approaches to the work.

            Her body was found at a Midland County oil well site and was taken to the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas according to HuffPost. Specialists there identified the body as female and between 14-21 years of age, but when trying to find DNA connections through CODIS they were unsuccessful at the time.

            In 2020, according to CNN the Texas Rangers and Midland County District Attorney’s Office moved the DNA samples from the body to DNA Labs International and Parabon NanoLabs, where they were able to determine hair, eye, and skin color. With this information, the Rangers spoke to locals nearby where the body was found, questioning about missing persons before being pointed in the direction of Smith’s mother, whose DNA sample matched the body.

            Smith was reported missing as a runaway by her mother on February 18, although she was last seen four days earlier.  The Midland Police department is now beginning its investigation into what they believe was Sylvia’s murder.