APD and FBI use genealogy to ID women's remains from over 10-year-old cold cases

The Albuquerque Police Department recently identified the remains of two women who went missing years ago, and the search is still on for their killers.

With the help of the FBI, APD was able to determine that the remains were of Carmela Vivian Duran and Terry Matthews, APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said.

“This work reflects the persistence of our agents and partners, who never give up until every lead is explored,” FBI Albuquerque Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda said in a statement. “I hope identifying these women brings a sense of closure to their families and to those who have wondered about their fates.”

The cases have not been closed, however. Law enforcement is looking for information on those responsible for their deaths, Atkins said.

On Jan. 24, 1994, the skeletal remains of a woman were found along Interstate 40 by crews cleaning up the roadside. The remains were those of a Hispanic woman, between 30 and 40, who was later identified as Duran. An autopsy revealed she had suffered blunt trauma to the face.

Atkins said after previous failed attempts to identify the woman, in April 2023 after APD’s Cold Case Unit and FBI investigators collected DNA, and put together a family tree, they were able to confirm the person was Duran.

She said Duran’s family told police they lost touch with Duran until the late 1980s and thought she moved away.

“Having not heard from her in some time, they thought she may have passed away and never reported her missing,” Atkins said.

In the second case, the remains of another woman were found by a man walking in an empty field near South Broadway and Murray in January 2013. Atkins said in September that year more remains were found in a nearby area and were determined to be of the same woman, a white female between 40 and 60.

Police said in June 2022, APD and FBI completed DNA testing on the remains to identify any relatives. In September 2023, the agencies found family members in Albuquerque who helped them identify the woman as Matthews, 54. Matthews was last seen in February 2006 and had not been reported missing. Her case has been handed back over to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.

Atkins said anyone with information about the two cases can submit them anonymously to Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers at 505-843-STOP or p3tips.com/531.