Nearly two years ago Laurel Nowell of Apache Junction, AZ contacted the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office to report her former Hernando High School classmate and friend Tammy Jo Alexander missing. Nowell told the Sheriff’s Office that Alexander went missing between 1977 and 1979.
Alexander’s family never reported her as missing to the authorities. Alexander’s stepsister, Sharen Nelsen confirmed that Alexander was missing, but the family never reported it.
Alexander was entered into state and national databases and in January of 2015, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office received notification that a possible match was found in Livingston County New York. A full mitochondrial DNA analysis identified the deceased female in Livingston as Alexander.
According to information from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, the body of the unidentified female, who was between the ages of 13-19, was found on 11/10/1979 in a cornfield. Alexander had been a victim of homicidal violence.
There is now a $20,000 reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Alexander.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective B. Schneider at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office at – 585 247-7100 or Detective George Loydgren at the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office – 352-754-6830.