Sixty years later, Pecos police still seek answers in Jolaine Hemmy case
PECOS - Jolaine Hemmy's story has not remained untold. In fact, the circumstances of her death are widely known in Pecos. On the 60th anniversary of her death, the Pecos Police Department says she will not be forgotten.
"For decades, she was known as Unknown Drown Girl," said Pecos PD in a social media post. "Her identity remained a mystery, leaving her family without the answers they had been searching for. Through the dedication, perseverance, and collaboration of many, the Pecos Police Department was finally able to identify Jolaine Hemmy and reunite her name with her story, providing her loved ones with the closure they had waited so many years to receive."
On July 5, 1966, a young woman was found dead in a swimming pool at the Ropers Motel in Pecos. Despite extensive efforts, her identity remained unknown for more than 50 years.
In 2021, the Pecos Police Department, with the help of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and genetic genealogy, identified her as Jolaine Hemmy, a 17-year-old from Kansas. Her remains were exhumed, tested for DNA and matched to her sister, Joyce Hemmy.
The DNA discovery marked a significant breakthrough in the cold case investigation, with investigators highlighting the power of DNA technology to help solve a decades-old mystery.
"While nothing can undo the loss, we are honored to have played a role in bringing answers to her family and ensuring that she is remembered, not as an unidentified victim, but by her name and the life she lived," said Pecos Police.
Authorities are still actively seeking help in identifying Hemmy's male companion, who checked out of the motel and vanished after the body was found.
July 5, 1966
On July 5, 1966, Hemmy and an unidentified man checked into the Ropers Motel in Pecos. They registered as a married couple. A motel maid found Hemmy fully submerged in the outdoor pool. Hemmy was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Before emergency responders arrived at the motel, the male companion grabbed the couple's motel registration card, according to police, then checked out and disappeared. The unidentified victim was buried in Pecos' Fairview Cemetery under the headstone "Unknown Girl Drowned July 5, 1966."
Case unsolved
In January 2021, DNA matches successfully identified her as Jolaine Hemmy, a 17-year-old from Salina, Kansas. Despite identifying the victim, the circumstances of Hemmy's death remain unsolved. The Pecos Police Department is still seeking information about the man who was with Hemmy.
Anyone with information about Hemmy's male companion or the events of July 5, 1966, can contact the Pecos Police Department at 432-445-4911 and ask for Cpl. Felix Salcido.
For the full story and additional details of this Pecos cold case, subscribers can watch a YouTube video profiling the case.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.