FILLMORE, CA – The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has identified the woman known for decades only as “Jane Doe” in a 1981 homicide case as Maria Belmontes Blancas.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and Cold Case Unit, Maria’s body was discovered on January 27, 1981, in a citrus orchard near Piru. She had been shot multiple times, and her death was ruled a homicide. Despite an initial investigation, her identity remained unknown for over four decades.
The Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation in 2023 and used advanced DNA analysis to suggest Maria’s family may have originated from Michoacán, Mexico. Working with Redgrave Research Forensic Services, investigators traced potential family members, and by summer 2025, they were able to confirm Maria’s identity.
Maria came to California from Mexico in 1980. She was about 195 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair, and found wearing a plaid shirt, turquoise tank top, skirt, and flip-flop style sandals. Her family, now located in both the United States and Mexico, has finally received closure.
Her killer has not been identified, and the case remains open.
If you have any information about Maria’s life in California or her murder, contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit at 805-383-8739 or Coldcase@venturacounty.gov.
