LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — The remains of a woman missing for nearly 30 years have been identified.
State police say the skeletal remains of a female were discovered in December 1994 off Tomhicken Road in Sugarloaf Township, Luzerne County, during a mining reclamation project.
On Tuesday, troopers announced that the unidentified female has been identified as Margaret Carol Wininger, born on September 5, 1948. Margaret attended West Hazleton High School from 1965 to 1966. She went missing in the early 1990s when she was living with her family in northeast Philadelphia.
Troopers said advancements in DNA technology and forensic genealogy made the identification possible.
Due to the condition of the remains, a cause and manner of death could not be determined.
In 2021, authorities released a computer-generated likeness of the unknown victim and offered a reward for any information.
Investigators are asking the public for information related to Margaret returning to the area in the early 1990s. Anyone who had contact with her during that time is asked to contact State Police Troop N Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit at 570-220-8475 or bnoll@pa.gov.