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Tamara Lee Tigard, (April 18, 1959 - March or April 1980) previously known as "Lime Lady" was a young woman found murdered in 1980 in Oklahoma. She received her nickname from the quicklime poured over her body in an attempt to quicken decomposition, which had actually mummified her and preserved evidence.

She was identified on January 30, 2020, in a press conference between the DNA Doe Project and Oklahoma County's Sheriff's Office.

Background

Tamara was born in California in 1959 and later moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. She was a veteran of the United States Army. Her parents had passed away in the 2000’s and her sister passed away in 2010, without ever knowing what happened to their loved one.

Case

In March 1980, Tamara went for a walk near her home in Las Vegas, Nevada and never returned home. She was reported missing, but her report was cleared due to a woman in Ohio using her identity. The woman has never been named as a suspect and her true identity is unknown.

Her unclothed body was recovered on the shore of the North Canadian River on April 18, 1980. She had been shot three times with a .45 caliber revolver. Following her death, the responsible party poured quicklime on the remains in an attempt to quicken decomposition, which ended up preserving the remains. She was discovered on what would have been her 21st birthday.

When she was shot, one of the bullets hit a dime, which had been drawn into her body, indicating she was clothed when murdered, as there was also clothing fibers found along with the dime. The shooter was facing the victim and moving toward her when they fired.

Identification

Her case was taken on by the DNA Doe Project. After her DNA was uploaded to GEDmatch, the DNA Doe Project found a suitable candidate within a day and a half. After obtaining dental records from the United States Army, the match was able to be confirmed. They were unable to confirm the match through DNA as all of her immediate relatives on the west coast were deceased.

Characteristics

  • A professionally done heart-shaped tattoo above her left breast.
  • Blond to light brown hair extending to her shoulders.
  • A light complexion.
  • Freckles.
  • Appendectomy scar.
  • Extensive dental work, although some teeth were crooked.

Gallery

Sources

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