A woman whose remains were found nearly 50 years ago in California has been identified as a Detroit-area native, with her death considered a homicide. 

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office in California reported on March 18 that the woman who was known in their community as “Emigrant Gap Jane Doe” is confirmed to be Melinda “Pip” Beardsley, a woman who had been missing since the mid 1970s. 

The break in the case came through advancements in DNA technology and decades of investigative work, the sheriff’s office said. 

Beardsley’s remains were discovered amid a snowbank on Dec. 17, 1977, in the Emigrant Gap area of Placer County.  

“Investigators later determined she had been strangled to death. Despite extensive investigative efforts over the years, her identity remained unknown,” the sheriff’s office said. 

Those attempts included distributing her fingerprints and identifying information to law enforcement agencies across the United States and Canada, including submitting a report to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said its agency requested exhumation of her remains in 2011 in hopes that newer forensic techniques could identify her. A partial DNA profile was created in 2018; further testing happened over the years. 

By 2025, a DNA profile with sufficient details for “investigative genetic genealogy” was finally available. With that information, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Investigations team began working with Moxxy Forensic Investigations. This nonprofit organization works with law enforcement agencies on investigative genetic genealogy and missing-person cases. 

In the meantime, Beardsley’s family was working with The Doe Network, a volunteer organization that focuses on missing and unidentified person cases. The Doe Network reached out to Moxxy Forensics. 

Moxxy Forensics reviewed Beardsley’s life and the circumstances known about her disappearance, efforts that led to a possible connection to Emigrant Gap Jane Doe. DNA comparison testing took place, and test results were confirmed during February 2026. 

Beardsley was born in 1946 in rural Michigan, just north of Detroit, Moxxy Forensics said. The last time anyone in the family confirmed her location was in 1976, in Carson City, Nevada. 

“This identification hopefully provides long-awaited answers to Beardsley’s family, but the work is not done. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the homicide of Melinda Beardsley,” the sheriff’s office said. 

“Every unidentified person is someone’s child, sibling, or parent,” said Katie Thomas/Co-Founder of Moxxy Forensic Investigations. “Restoring Melinda’s name restores her dignity. We are honored to stand beside her family and our law enforcement partners in this work.”

Authorities ask that anyone with information about Beardsley’s homicide contact the Placer County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Tip Line at 530-889-7830.  

With Interstate 94 construction ongoing, handing the wheel over to a shuttle driver might be a popular play for Milwaukee Brewers fans heading to American Family Field this season.

Here’s the latest list of hotels and bars partnering with American Family Field for shuttle services.

Business set their own pick-up and drop-off times, so check with your preferred shuttle spot ahead of time to get their schedule. A map off drop-off points can also be found on the Brewers’ website under “Getting to American Family Field.”

More: How will I-94 closures impact travel to American Family Field?

Downtown Milwaukee

• Ambassador Hotel Milwaukee, 2308 W. Wisconsin Ave. 
• Brewhouse Inn & Suites/On Tap Bar & Restaurant, 1203 N. 10th St. 
• Milwaukee Brat House, 1013 N. King Drive  
• Who’s on Third, 1007 N. King Drive 

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – ICE agents are set to assist TSA officers at airports nationwide due to staffing shortages caused by the ongoing partial government shutdown.

However, it remains unclear whether Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will be among the locations receiving additional personnel. 

ICE agents to assist TSA at airports 

What we know:

The decision to deploy ICE agents comes as TSA officers have been working without pay for more than a month, leading to widespread staffing challenges. Hundreds of TSA employees have reportedly resigned, while others have called in sick, contributing to long security lines during the busy spring break travel season.

Federal officials say ICE agents will not replace TSA officers but would likely assist with certain tasks, such as monitoring exit lanes or checking passenger identification. The goal is to free up trained TSA officers to focus on more specialized duties like X-ray screening.

The Department of Homeland Security has not released a list of airports that will receive ICE support. In a statement Monday, the agency said in part, “President Trump is using every tool available to help American travelers who are facing hours-long lines at airports across the country.”

Security at MSP Airport

Local perspective:

At the MSP airport, operations appeared to be running smoothly. However, some passengers are skeptical about the effectiveness of using ICE agents. “Yeah, not a fan of that, I don’t think it will make the situation any better,” said a couple.

MSP officials would not confirm or deny if ICE agents would be deployed locally, but emphasized that wait times at MSP have remained relatively low. 

“During the partial government shutdown, wait times have consistently remained under 30 minutes at MSP Airport, despite heavy spring break travel. The relatively low wait times are a testament to the commitment of the local TSA team,” a statement read. “We’re grateful for the TSA’s continued service to maintain smooth and secure travel for MSP passengers.”

What we don’t know:

It’s still unclear how many ICE agents will be deployed or which locations will be impacted.