TBI identifies Campbell County skeletal remains almost 40 years later

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) - The skeletal remains of a child found nearly four decades ago in Campbell County have now been identified, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Now, investigators are asking for the public’s help in finding out what happened.

The remains were found in the Big Wheel Gap area of Elk Valley on April 3, 1985. Investigators determined they were the remains of a girl between 10 and 15, but could not identify them further. She became known as “Baby Girl.”

In 2007, a sample of her remains went to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI), where investigators made a DNA profile of the girl. In 2013, investigators began working on new leads to identify the remains, but did not have a breakthrough until 2022, TBI officials said.

Earlier this year, with help from the University of Tennessee Anthropology Department and Othram, a lab that analyzes human DNA, scientists found a possible relative of the girl in Indiana.

TBI investigators made contact with the family in Lafayette, Indiana, who confirmed they had a relative go missing in 1978. With help from the Lafayette Police Department, investigators entered the missing person’s DNA into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

This week, UNTCHI identified “Baby Girl” as Tracy Sue Walker (DOB: 06/02/63). Now, TBI officials are asking the public to provide information that could help them discover what happened to her. Those with information can call 1-800-TBI-FIND.