Need to Know: Key Facts
- Martha Bassett moved from Washington state to Chicago in 1960 and vanished seven years later.
- In 1968, human remains were found in Will County, Illinois.
- On July 24, 2023, authorities confirmed the remains belonged to Bassett using advanced forensic technology.
Nearly six decades after a woman was discovered murdered near Chicago, she has been identified as a member of a Native American community from Washington state.
Martha Bassett, who hailed from Wapato, Washington, relocated to the Chicago area in 1960 under the federal Indian Relocation Act. This program encouraged Indigenous peoples to leave reservations for urban life. However, by 1967, her family lost touch with her and went to Chicago out of concern. Sadly, their search was unsuccessful, but they never stopped looking.
On September 30, 1968, a woman’s body was found hidden in the brush close to the intersection of I-55 and Blodgett Road in Will County. Initially, detectives had little information, and a local newspaper simply reported, “Woman found dead.”
Investigators noted signs of blunt force trauma, indicating how she died. Due to limited forensic technology at the time, officials struggled to identify her. Consequently, her remains were buried in a local cemetery, and her identity remained a mystery for many years.
In 2009, thanks to advancements in technology, the case was reopened. Parts of the skeletal remains were analyzed at the University of North Texas and the Smithsonian Institute, suggesting they might be of Native American descent. A 2017 study confirmed the victim had Asian and Native American ancestry.
Cold case investigators reached out to multiple tribes across Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa to inquire about missing persons fitting the victim’s profile. A flyer about the case circulated online and in local communities, eventually leading investigators to Bassett’s distant relatives. One of her nieces provided DNA needed to confirm the identity.
The coroner’s office celebrated the resolution of this cold case, highlighting the importance of scientific progress and cooperation among agencies. They emphasized that the case shows how modern technology, combined with compassion, can bring answers, offering hope to families of other missing persons that there may still be hope for resolution, even after many years.
