Cincinnati teen Gwenn Marie Story vanished at 19 during search for biological dad - after 44 years her body is found
Olivia Shea
Published Aug 28, 2026
A TEENAGER who vanished while searching for her dad has been identified more than 40 years after she was found dead.
Remains that were found in a Las Vegas field in the summer of 1979 belong to Gwenn Marie Story, cops have announced.
2
2
Story left her Cincinnati home when she was 19 to hunt for her father, who was in California.
She traveled with two friends, who later told her family they left her in Las Vegas.
Story's family never heard from her again after she left Ohio.
But, a body was found near the Las Vegas Strip in August 1979, cops said
read more on us news
Officers revealed the body belonged to a female and she had wavy hair and red toenails.
Cops said the woman was wearing a pair of Levi's jeans and a light blue-green linen shirt, per DNA Solves.
She was wearing a white metal chain that had a pendant containing a turquoise-colored stone.
Story was wearing a ring on her right hand.
Most read in The US Sun
It’s believed she died around 24 hours before the remains were discovered.
But, she was only known as Sahara Sue Doe before being formally identified.
Last year, cops teamed up with a private DNA testing organization in Texas in a bid to solve the mystery.
Investigators still don’t know why Story’s remains were found in Las Vegas.
Terri Miller, a cold case investigator with the Las Vegas Police Department, said a man, who was about six feet tall, was seen with Story in a liquor shop - just an hour before the remains were discovered, per the CBS affiliate KLAS-TV.
But the man’s mustache was a different color compared to his hair.
Investigators do not know if the man in the liquor store was one of the two friends Story had left Ohio with.
Cops have said they are in the early stages of a murder probe.
No suspects have been identified.
Story’s family have said they want answers, per a statement seen by KLAS.
Read More on The US Sun
They said: “We are looking for some closure on this case.”
Cops have appealed for potential leads and tips can be submitted online or via 702-385-5555
