A teenager, known as "Walker County Jane Doe," has been identified 41 years after her death.

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Sherri Ann Jarvis was 14 years old when her body was discovered on Interstate 45 in Texas. Evidence shows she was raped, strangled, and murdered. 

Jarvis arrived at Huntsville, Texas Halloween of 1980. Witnesses saw the girl at a truck stop asking for directions. The next morning, she was found dead.

According to a new report from WVLT, the Walker County Sheriff’s Office sent samples to a lab to begin forensic DNA testing in July 2020. In March 2021, six people were identified as being direct relatives or aunts and uncles of the “Jane Doe.”

Jarvis lived in Stillwater, Minnesota, until she was removed from her home for habitual truancy.

Jarvis' family released this statement to the public:

"We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Detective Thomas Bean and all cooperating agencies and people involved in identifying Sherri Ann Jarvis’ remains. We would also like to express our gratitude to Morris Memorials for donating Sherri’s headstone and all the people who visited her burial site throughout the years. We lost Sherri more than 41 years ago and we’ve lived in bewilderment every day since, until now as she has finally been found.

We contacted the Salvation Army and hired a private investigator in an attempt to locate her but to no avail. The dedication of the aforementioned people led to our reunion with Sherri and provided long awaited, albeit painful answers to our questions on her whereabouts. Sherri Ann Jarvis was a daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter. She loved children, animals and horseback riding.

She was a tender 13 years of age when the state removed her from our home for habitual truancy. Sherri never returned to our home as promised in a letter we received from her shortly after her departure. She was deprived of so many life experiences as a result of this tragedy. She was denied the opportunity to experience romance and love, marital bliss, the heartache and pain of loss, the pure joy of having children or growing old and being able to reflect on such milestones afforded an abounding lifetime.

Our parents passed away never knowing what happened to her or having any form of closure but we are grateful that they never had to endure the pain of knowing her death was so brutal. We take a measure of comfort in knowing that she has been identified and where she is located so we may pay our respects at her final resting place. We will continue to support those seeking her killer(s) because she did not deserve the death she received and justice served to those who would commit such a heinous act would be fitting tribute to Sherri. We love and miss Sherri very much. You are with mom and dad now, Sherri, may you rest in peace."

HAVE YOU SEEN ME? 28 Kids Missing From Minnesota

As of April 7, 2021, there are 28 children missing from across Minnesota and have still not been found, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. If you have seen any of them, or have any information on their whereabouts, please don’t hesitate to call 911 or you can call the National Center at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST).

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