In June of 1977, as twilight fell over Townsend, Delaware, a teenager biking through the area stumbled upon a woman’s body in a drainage ditch. Lacking any identification, police struggled to identify her. Despite dental records being checked, the woman’s profile—a height of 5 feet 3 inches, dark blonde hair, and an estimated age between 40 and 55—failed to match any missing persons reports. However, authorities were certain of one thing: this woman had been murdered. The case remained unsolved for decades due to the lack of leads.
Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, a young boy returned home from boarding school to find his mother missing. When he inquired about her whereabouts, his father, a former police officer, told him that his mother had simply left, despite the boy noticing that she had abandoned some of her belongings.
Breakthrough Through DNA Evidence
In 2008, the unidentified woman’s DNA was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national DNA database. For years, there were no matches. However, in February 2017, New Castle County police discovered Parabon Nanolabs, a company in Virginia specializing in DNA phenotyping, which can predict physical traits and ancestry. They submitted the woman’s genetic profile, leading to the creation of a digital image and a sketch. Additionally, her DNA was sent to ancestry databases in hopes of connecting her to a family tree.
In 2019, Officer Alex Richards, experienced in cold cases, joined the investigation. He traced potential family trees and collected DNA from possible relatives. Eventually, they found a match, confirming that the deceased woman was Marie Johnson, the mother of the boy who had once come home to find her gone. Marie was 50 years old at the time of her murder.
The Suspicion Surrounding Her Husband
Questions arose regarding why William Johnson, Marie’s husband and a former Philadelphia police officer, never reported her missing. Even if she had left voluntarily, her lack of communication with her family was concerning. In December 1977, he sold their family home and relocated to South Daytona Beach, Florida—behavior that raised eyebrows about his intentions regarding Marie.
William Johnson passed away in 2006, leaving behind questions that remain unresolved. His children, however, defended him, with his son stating, “He would be the last person that would ever hurt anybody.”
Marie Johnson: A Loving Mother Who Wouldn’t Abandon Her Family
Marie was known for her active role in the community and as a dedicated homemaker who worked part-time at a local country club. Her son described her as a caring mother who enjoyed family outings. The idea that she would abandon her children without a trace is perplexing. The younger Johnson expressed the pain his family felt due to their mother’s absence, revealing that they frequently questioned their father about her.
The Issue of Domestic Violence in Law Enforcement Families
While we may never uncover the truth about William Johnson’s involvement, there are alarming statistics regarding domestic violence in families with law enforcement members. Studies suggest that such families experience domestic violence at rates as high as 40%, significantly surpassing the general population. Victims often feel uniquely vulnerable, as their abuser possesses knowledge and resources that can intimidate them.
Currently, no person of interest has been named in Marie Johnson’s murder, and the investigation remains active. For more details, you can check out this other blog post.
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Summary
Marie Johnson’s tragic case highlights the complexities surrounding her disappearance and murder, particularly the suspicious behavior of her husband, a former police officer. The investigation, aided by DNA technology, finally linked her identity after decades, yet the mystery of why she was never reported missing remains. The broader issues of domestic violence in law enforcement families further complicate the narrative.