HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – A teen girl found dead in a Highland Park alley 27 years ago finally has her name back: Mindy Clevidence.
The 17-year-old remained unidentified for nearly three decades after her remains were found in an alley on May 20, 1996. Her death is under investigation as a homicide, but investigators said identifying her was the first step.
“Identifying Mindy is an early step in the process. Now it’s time to get justice for Mindy,” Chief James McMahon said in a press release. “It’s been more than 27 years since her murder, but I believe someone has information that could lead to the arrest of her killer. We ask if you have any information regarding Mindy’s case please contact The Highland Park Police Department.”
Clevidence’s body was found on May 20, 1996, between Cortland and Richton streets in Highland Park. She was wearing a white t-shirt with yellow and black smile faces on it, a white skirt, white socks, white gym shoes, and a teddy bear watch.
Her body was exhumed in October 2015 so forensic tests could be completed. Investigators with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) tried to identify her through DNA, but were unsuccessful.
In May 2023, NCMEC worked with law enforcement to submit the case to Intermountain Forensics and create a reliable DNA data file. That data file was sent to genealogists with Innovative Forensic Investigations who uploaded it into ancestry databases.
A tip gathered using forensic genetic genealogy helped investigators identify her as Mindy Clevidence.
“We are grateful for all the efforts made by the Highland Police Department and NCMEC in helping us get one step closer in finding out what happened to Mindy and ultimately finding justice for her. We ask for our privacy as we navigate through this difficult time. We ask that anyone who has information regarding Mindy’s death to please contact authorities,” Clevidence’s family said in a statement released through NCMEC.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office at 313-318-8516 or NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).