BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — Hernando County detectives learned the identity of a homicide victim from more than 50 years ago.
The victim was discovered wrapped in a bedspread with a distinctive pattern described as a "pineapple damask" print. The bedspread had three square corners and one rounded corner.
The woman's body was discovered in the area of High Corner Road and Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville on July 19, 1972.
Detective George Loydgren said a motorcyclist broke down and discovered the body in a wooded area.
"He stopped to get off his bike and check it out. He saw what he believed was a body. He rode up to his house, got a family member who came back and verified it was, in fact, a human body, and then reached out to our agency at the time. We responded," said Detective George Loydgren.
Over the years, Hernando County detectives continued to investigate the case from 1972, but no new leads were developed.
Detectives released a facial reconstruction to the public in hopes that it would generate new leads.
"This is all pre-DNA, don't forget, the 70s, DNA didn’t come around until the 80s and didn’t get going anywhere until the 90s in the country," said Detective Loydgren.
Detective George Loydgren has nearly 40 years of experience in law enforcement. He works as a detective in the Cold Case Homicide Unit at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
In an effort to extract DNA, Detective Loydgren had the body of the unidentified woman exhumed from the local cemetery several years ago.
In August 2022, Othram Labs used genealogy and DNA testing to get a match of a family member. Detectives were able to identify the human remains as Peggy Joyce Shelton from Kentucky.
"It’s a game changer. I mean genealogy, I’ve been successful now six to seven times already with genealogy, a lot of different cases identifying my suspects and identifying my murder victims who are unidentified and skeletal remains," said Loydgren.
The cold case is still being investigated as a homicide. Detective Loydgren is working to identify the person or people responsible for the murder of Ms. Shelton.
If you have any information on this case, please contact Detective George Loydgren at 352-754-6830.
If you have information and would like to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, please contact Crime Stoppers.
Hernando County Crime Stoppers can be reached by phone at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477).
