GhLinks Media
A teen girl found dead in a Highland Park alley 27 years ago finally has her name back: Mindy Clevidence.
The identity of the 17-year-old victim, whose remains were discovered in an alley on May 20, 1996, remained a mystery for nearly three decades.
Mindy Clevidence’s death is being investigated as a homicide, and investigators have emphasized that identifying her is the crucial first step in solving the case.
The long-standing mystery was solved after the the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Highland Police Department and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office teamed up.
“We’re grateful to our dedicated partners, who invest their time and invaluable resources to help get answers in these difficult cases,” said Carol Schweitzer, who manages NCMEC’s forensic services unit.
“No matter how long it takes, we know that the answers can be found,” Schweitzer said.
In October 2015, the remains of Mindy Clevidence were exhumed so that forensic tests could be applied, but to no avail.
“In May of 2023, with still no identification, NCMEC worked with law enforcement and facilitated getting the case submitted to Intermountain Forensics who were successful in developing a reliable DNA data file,” NCEMC said in a statement.
“That data file was submitted to genealogists with Innovative Forensic Investigations who uploaded the profile into ancestry databases and completed the research,” NCEMC said.
NCMEC said that during the summer of 2023, a tip developed through forensic genetic genealogy led to Clevidence’s identification.
Clevidences’ family released the following statement after her identification:
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 remains were found in May 1996, between Cortland and Richton streets in Highland Park.
She was found wearing a white t-shirt with yellow and smile faces on it, a white skirt, white socks, white gym shoes and a teddy bear watch.
