Jackie Ebel, a 25-year-old woman from Long Beach, has been identified more than three decades after her body was discovered in Riverside County. The identification brings some closure to a mystery that began when Jackie went missing on December 23, 1988, after leaving her apartment in Long Beach. Her family had long suspected foul play but was left without answers for decades.
The breakthrough came when the Riverside County District Attorney’s Cold Case Team utilized forensic genetic genealogy in 2022, ultimately identifying Jackie’s remains. The discovery was made possible after Joe Parsons, who was searching for his family history, uploaded his DNA profile to a genealogy website. Authorities matched his DNA to the remains found behind a store in Perris, Riverside County, just days after Jackie disappeared.
Jackie’s aunt, Charlotte Walker, expressed the family’s mixed emotions upon learning of the identification. “It was unbelievable to learn that there was a chance they had located her. Justice has not yet arrived. However, whether we like it or not, we have Jackie,” she said.
Despite the identification, many questions remain unanswered. Authorities are still seeking information on how Jackie ended up in Perris, a location with which she had no known connections. The Riverside County Regional Cold Case Crime Team has urged the public to come forward with any information that could assist in solving the case.
Joe Parsons, now knowing that Jackie was his sister, shared his hopes for justice. “We have a great family now, but I really hope that someone wants to clear the air and do the right thing, come forward, admit what they’ve done and have some justice,” Parsons stated.
The case remains open, and authorities are asking anyone with potential leads to contact the Cold Case Unit in Riverside County. Jackie Ebel’s family continues to hold out hope for answers and justice, even as they plan a memorial to finally honor her memory.