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9mo ago

1981 San Jose Cold Case Victim Identified as Vivian Moss Through Forensic Genealogy

Authorities are asking the public to provide information to find her killer.

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The area where Vivian Moss’ body was found in July 1981. Back then, it was an empty field in San Jose; now, it is part of the Berryessa BART station.
An AI generated image of Vivian Moss based on family photos.
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Overview

  • Forensic genealogists at Parabon NanoLabs used crime scene DNA and family tree research to identify the victim as 54-year-old Vivian Moss.
  • Moss’s dismembered torso, recovered on July 11, 1981 in a San Jose field now beneath the Berryessa transit center, was ruled a homicide by multiple chest stab wounds.
  • Investigators located and interviewed Moss’s granddaughter in 2024 and confirmed the match through a direct DNA comparison.
  • Two religious pendants—a St. Christopher medallion and a Virgin Mary medallion—found near her remains align with her ties to Mt. Zion Spiritual Church.
  • The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit is urging anyone with information about her death to contact investigators.