The Chester County Coroner’s Office has positively identified the skeletal remains recovered from a wooded area in Valley Township on October 29, 2019, as those of Julia Gonzalez, age 22, of Coatesville.
After recovery of the remains, the Coroner’s Office worked with forensic odontologist, John B. Nase, DDS, FAGD, FICD on a postmortem dental examination which identified unique features of the teeth. Once a presumptive identification based on her unique tattoo was made, the Coroner’s staff initiated a search for antemortem dental records. Upon comparison, a successful match between Gonzalez’s dental records and those of the remains were completed today.
Coroner Christina VandePol said, “One of our responsibilities is to confirm identity using a scientific technique in certain cases. A presumptive or circumstantial identification is not always adequate. While DNA is the best known scientific approach, dental identification is faster but depends on someone having dental records we can locate. Julia’s family has been notified at this time and we are pleased to be able to reunite her with them.”
The cause and manner of death are still under investigation by the Coroner’s Office, Valley Township Police, and the District Attorney’s Office.
