KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— The Knox County Regional Forensic Center has made a breakthrough in a decades-old homicide case, once again identifying a female victim whose body was discovered near a creek in Campbell County.

“No one is forgotten or neglected at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center,” said Chris Thomas, the Center’s Chief Administrative Officer. “We work diligently every day to try to identify every decedent and connect them with their next of kin, regardless of how long they’ve been here.”

Investigators determined that the remains are those of Lori A. Alexander, 27, from Toledo, Ohio. She was reported missing early in October 1998; her remains were found later that month.

“It’s no secret that our Regional Forensic Center is an incredible county asset,” said Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. “The staff is skilled and I’m grateful for the care they put into the job they do.”

This is the second time within the past year that the Forensic Center has identified a victim from a decades-long homicide case. In August 2020, the Center was granted permission to directly submit prints to an FBI database, which allowed for comparison with recently digitized fingerprint cards from other jurisdictions across the nation from past decades. At that time, they were able to identify Tena Marie Gattrell, a 27-year-old woman from California who was killed in Knox County in 1987.

For more information about the case and the details behind the KCRFC’s work, please contact Chris Thomas at chris.thomas@knoxcounty.org.