The Unsolved Murder of Carol Ann Cole (Bossier Doe)

The Discovery of Bossier Doe

• 📅 On January 28, 1981, a hunter discovered the body of an unidentified female in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, near Highway 157.
• 🔪 The victim, estimated to be between 16 and 20 years old, had been stabbed nine times, and a knife believed to be the murder weapon was found nearby.
• 👖 She was wearing jeans with a distinctive Buffalo nickel belt buckle, a striped long-sleeve shirt, a tan hooded sweater, and white boxer underwear.
• 👟 Size seven leather gym shoes with the name "Davies" written on them were also found, along with freshly painted fingernails and shoulder-length blonde hair.
• ⏳ Due to heavy decomposition, the medical examiner estimated the time of death to be 30-45 days prior to discovery, making identification extremely difficult.

The Long Road to Identification

• 💀 A three-dimensional clay model was created to reconstruct the victim's likeness, but it did not lead to an identification.
• 🔥 In 2005, a fire at the evidence storage facility resulted in the loss of some crucial evidence, further hindering the investigation.
• 📱 A significant breakthrough occurred in 2015 when cold case detective Lt. Shannon Mack created a Facebook page for "Bossier Doe" and utilized DNA technology to generate a digital facial reconstruction.
• 🤝 This digital image, combined with community engagement on social media and Craigslist, led to a crucial connection.
• 💡 A 911 operator recognized the resemblance between the digital image and a Craigslist missing person ad for Carol Ann Cole, prompting further investigation.
• 🧬 DNA testing and confirmation from Carol Ann's sister regarding recent brace removal ultimately identified the victim as Carol Ann Cole, who had been missing since December 1980.

Carol Ann Cole's Life and Disappearance

• 👧 Carol Ann Cole grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and moved to San Antonio, Texas, with her mother at age 16.
• 🏠 She later moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, in November 1980, after leaving a home for teen girls.
• 📞 Her last contact with her family was a phone call in late December 1980, after which she disappeared.
• ❓ Despite her family's efforts and filing a missing person's report, authorities had no leads, and Carol Ann was not initially considered a suspect in the Bossier Doe case.

Investigating Potential Suspects

• 🕵️ John Chason, the hunter who found the body, became a primary suspect, particularly due to his daughter's testimony.
• 🗣️ His daughter recalled her father bringing a young woman matching Carol Ann's description home a month before the body was found and believes he led them to the body.
• ⛓️ Chason was already serving time for murder at the time of Carol Ann's identification, but he maintained his innocence.
• 🎤 Henry Lee Lucas, a notorious serial killer, confessed to the murder, but his alibi placed him in Florida at the time of the crime, casting doubt on his confession.
• 🏫 M. Ford, who ran the New Bethany Home for Girls, was investigated due to a photo of girls that resembled Carol Ann, but no direct link was established.
• ⚖️ Three other men, James Thomley, Allan Gaskins, and Steven Scott, convicted of a separate brutal murder in the same parish, were investigated, but the timing did not align with Carol Ann's murder.
• 🏭 Theories also emerged involving oil workers due to the proximity of Carol Ann's last known residence to a busy convenience store frequented by them, and the location of the body near an oil pipeline.
• 🌎 The possibility of serial killers operating in the "Texas Killing Fields," such as Harold Bell and William Ree, was also considered due to geographical proximity, though deemed less likely.

The Lingering Questions

• 🤔 Despite strong suspicion, John Chason has not been charged with Carol Ann Cole's murder, possibly due to lost evidence and insufficient proof.
• 💔 The case remains officially unsolved, leaving Carol Ann's family without complete justice, though she was finally identified and laid to rest.
• 🙏 The identification and eventual burial were made possible by the tireless efforts of Carol Ann's sister, her friend Patty, and the public's engagement with cold case investigations.