Teenage Jane Doe Found Dead In Gary Alley Was Killed By Gunshot, Coroner Says
GARY, Ind. (CBS) -- A teenage girl whose body was discovered in an alley in Gary more than two weeks ago died of a gunshot wound, the Lake County, Indiana Coroner's office ruled Tuesday.
The girl's body was discovered in an alleyway near 20th Avenue and Pennsylvania Street by utility workers on the morning of Monday, Sept. 16.
Their coworkers said the teen was found tied to a newly-placed utility pole, and they believed she was beaten to death.
But a Medico-Legal Death Investigation Team from the Coroner's office ruled that the girl had died of a gunshot wound and the manner of her death was a homicide. The coroner's office also said the girl was not found tied to a utility pole.
The coroner says the Jane Doe is an African-American female between 14 and 18 and is about 5 feet two inches tall and 117 pounds. She has short black hair and pierced ears.
She was wearing a blue and white Nike windbreaker in extra small, and large Champion brand blue pants with gray stripes. She also wore a red bra in size 32 B and a pink t-shirt size 14-16 with a Superman emblem with the words "Super Girl Power" on the front.
The Lake County Sheriff sent CBS 2 a photo of a similar T-shirt.
The girl also wore blue and black Nike Air Max Plus gym shoes in size 7.
Police last week also released facial reconstruction images of the girl.
The photos are facial reconstructions created by a forensic artist at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Lake County Coroner's Office at (219) 755-3265.
