Fairfax County Police Cold Case Squad Identifies Woman Known As 'Christmas Tree Lady'

ANNANDALE, VA — The Fairfax County Police Department’s Cold Case Squad has solved a case from more than 25 years ago by identifying a woman who police believe took her own life in the Annandale area.

When the woman’s body was found in December 1996, police detectives determined there was no foul play in her death, but they were unable to identify her.

For the past 25 years, Fairfax County Police have been tracking down clues about the woman, who was known only as “The Christmas Tree Lady,” police said.

In May, police were able to identify the woman as Joyce Meyer, using advanced DNA testing and forensic-grade genome sequencing provided by Othram Inc., police said Thursday. Funding for the testing was provided by anonymous donors through DNASolves.

“After decades of wondering what happened to their loved one, Joyce’s family is finally at peace thanks to the dedicated work of several generations of FCPD detectives, anonymous donors and Othram,” Ed O’Carroll, bureau commander of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes, Cyber & Forensics, said in a statement Thursday.

“Our detectives never stopped working for Joyce and her family. Advances in technology will continue to help close cases and provide answers to victim’s families,” O’Carroll said.

The case began on Dec. 18, 1996, when Fairfax County Police officers were called to Pleasant Valley Memorial Park at 8420 Little River Turnpike in Annandale for a report of a dead woman, police said. The woman had two envelopes in her pocket: one contained a note indicating she had taken her own life. The second envelope contained money to cover her funeral expenses, according to police.

The notes were signed “Jane Doe.” A small decorative Christmas tree was also found near her body. Detectives determined there was no foul play in her death, but they were unable to identify her, police said.

Detectives compared her physical description to numerous missing persons cases in the D.C. area, but were unable to find a match. Through Othram’s testing, it was later determined Meyer was 69 years old when she was found dead in Annandale, police said.

Family members believe Meyer may have moved to the Virginia area sometime after the mid-1980s. At the time of her death, Meyer was not reported missing and did not have family in the immediate area, according to police.

Othram used forensic genetic genealogy technology to identify a possible family member of Meyer. Detectives connected with the family member, which led to additional family connections across the country.

A DNA sample confirmed a match, which was corroborated by conversations with long-lost siblings, police said.