CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Extracting DNA out of 32-year-old bones is tricky business. In order for DNA to survive, the right conditions must be present.

This is Part Three of an ongoing investigation into the identity of Clarion County’s “Penny Doe.” Please see our other articles in the series linked at the bottom of this article.

I talked to a geneticist about a year ago who told me that someone he knew was able to extract DNA from mammoth fur that was purchased from eBay. I figured that if DNA could be extracted from an arctic mammal that’s been extinct for some 4,000 years, then getting DNA from 32-year-old remains of a yet-to-be-identified woman wouldn’t be much of a problem. It turns out I may be wrong about that.

But, somebody out there knows Penny’s real name and probably wonders what happened to her. So, if I can, I want to use DNA to find that person. But, there are several steps that I need to go through in order to make that happen. And, as I’m learning, it’s actually a long shot. But, we’re going to take the shot, anyway.

Penny Doe’s skeleton, curated by Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat at Mercyhurst University. Photograph was taken by Gavin Fish on September 6, 2022.

After my last story on this case, several people reached out to me from different organizations offering to help extract DNA from the bones that Dr. Dirkmaat has been curating at Mercyhurst University all these years.

From all the prospects,…