Lisa Coburn-Kesler was a young woman found murdered in Hillsborough, North Carolina, in 1990.
She was identified in September 2023.
Case[]
On September 19th, 1990, Coburn-Kesler's decomposed remains were located by a cleanup crew along Interstate 40 approximately 15 feet down an embankment east of the New Hope Church Road exit. It was concluded that she died from strangulation.
The unique design on the woman's shirt could not be identified by national investigation services such as the FBI and NCIS.
Police noted a possible link between this case and other murders committed by a taxi driver. The man was arrested in Guilford County and was suspected of having murdered women similarly merely months after Lisa was killed. The man later died by suicide after declining an interview with Orange County officers. His identity was never publicly released.
The victim's socks were noted to be very clean, and the absence of footwear indicated her killer may have taken her shoes as a souvenir.
Possible sighting[]
Before her discovery, the woman may have been seen alive walking along Interstate 85 near North Carolina Highway 62 near the Ramada Inn. She may have also been seen at a truck stop in Alamance County.
Her remains were later cremated and buried at sea.
Characteristics[]
- Natural brown hair that was dyed a strawberry blonde, described as going to her shoulders and frosted.
- All 4 of her wisdom teeth were un-erupted.
- One of her teeth was in a "lingual crossbite" position, with three others starting to form, leaning to the lingual as well.
- She had caries on 3 of her teeth.
- 3 of her teeth had amal restorations.
- 3-inch scar on her lower right abdomen from an appendectomy.
- No signs of childbirth.
- No known previous breaks or fractures to her bones.
- No drugs in her system.
Clothing and accessories[]
- A pink sweatshirt with three bunnies on the front (two bunnies on bicycles, one on a unicycle), label Sportswear.
- White anklet socks (very clean on the bottom).
- A thin yellow metal ring on her left ring finger.
- A thin, twisted metal bracelet on her left wrist.
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- Lisa Coburn-Kesler at the Doe Network
- Astrea Forensics
- CBS News
- CBS 17
- The Hanoi Chatty
- Jackson Herald Today (paywalled)