06/04/2026
MARION H. ALEXANDER, ONCE KNOWN AS “SHAFTER JANE”
Contact: Undersheriff Justin Ames FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Telephone: (775) 738-3421
Email: [email protected]
Date: June 3, 2026
MARION H. ALEXANDER, ONCE KNOWN AS “SHAFTER JANE”
In November 1993, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office initiated a homicide investigation after responding to the Shafter Exit on Interstate 80, Elko County. On the north side of Interstate 80, deputies and detectives found a n**e female with limited evidence of the crime. After an autopsy was completed, detectives learned the deceased female was shot twice by a small caliber firearm. One wound track entered from the back of the torso towards the front of the body, and the second wound track entered from front of the torso and went upwards towards the back of the body.
Due to the condition of the body at autopsy, investigators could only secure one right thumbprint for identification purposes. For 32 years, there were many attempts to identify the unknown female through latent fingerprint identification databases, with no luck.
In an effort to entice a suspect response, detectives announced a funeral for the unknown female who was given the name Shafter Jane. The investigation gained some traction and was covered by Hard Copy. The funeral ceremony for Shafter Jane produced no leads.
Detectives attempted several alternative investigative methods to identify Shafter Jane, this included national broadcasts, dental records, Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis, Forensic Facial Reconstruction, media releases; however, each avenue produced no viable leads nor an identity for Shafter Jane.
The homicide investigation went cold, and detectives were unable to identify Shafter Jane or any potential suspects. For many years, several detectives continued to investigate Shafter Jane’s death and despite their efforts, the case went unsolved.
REPROCESSING OF EVIDENCE – APRIL 2019
April 2019 - With the advancement in DNA and familia genealogy, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Washoe County Crime Lab in reprocessing the evidence secured at autopsy. During the reprocessing of the evidence, male semen was found on a vaginal swab. After further testing and analysis, the male semen yielded a full male DNA profile. The DNA profile was run through CODIS and there were no matches.
Shafter Jane’s DNA profile was run through genetic DNA databases with no matches.
Considering DNA had not produces any identities for the unknown female victim (Shafter Jane) or the unknown male semen contributor, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office contracted with Identifinders International to create a Forensic Genetic Genealogy Analysis for both Shafter Jane and the unknown male contributor.
In January 2022, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office received a Forensic Genetic Genealogy Analysis & Investigation report from Identifinders International. Their report identified Roger Lee Durkee, born in 1947, as the proposed suspect and potential foreign male DNA contributor. Subsequent records searches indicated Roger Lee Durkee possibly lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
With the help of the Milwaukee FBI Field Office, surveillance units observed Roger Lee Durkee throw numerous items of garbage into a dumpster located outside of an apartment building. The garbage from the dumpster was collected and subsequently sent to the Washoe County Crime Lab for DNA comparison.
A Washoe County Crime Lab report indicated Roger Lee Durkee’s DNA could not be excluded from the foreign unknown male DNA profile determined from the vaginal swab that was collected during autopsy.
WISCONSIN, DURKEE FOLLOW UP - AUGUST 2024
In August of 2024, with the assistance of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Elko County Sheriff’s Office detectives and an FBI agent made contact with Durkee. Durkee was arrested on Wisconsin charges for being in possession of fi****ms by a prohibited person.
Subsequent interviews conducted by Lieutenant Doug Fisher and Detective Alex Cox with Durkee revealed information that led detectives to believe Durkee had searched his digital devices for information on Shater Jane’s investigation and he possessed certain details specific to the investigation that was not commonly known to the public. Durkee claimed he liked to watch crime shows and was well versed in criminal investigations because he found it fascinating. Detectives believed Durkee was monitoring information on the Shafter Jane’s investigation so that he could avoid law enforcement contact and arrest.
Durkee admitted to possibly knowing the identity of the female from the 1993 homicide. Durkee provided two names, Mary Alexander and Mary Washington. Durke indicated he knew the information because he remembered having intimate relations with a female with that name around the same time of an unidentified female homicide victim being found. Durkee told detectives the last time he saw Mary, he dropped her off at the blue residence and never saw her again. Detectives thought it was beyond coincidental that Durkee while living in Salt Lake City, had knowledge of a female that was killed along Interstate 80 in Elko County Nevada and remembered a name 30+ years later.
Detectives served search warrants on Durkee’s residence and seized all Durkee’s digital devices. The evidence seized pursuant to the search warrants provided our best opportunity to gather any remaining evidence that would link Durkee to Shafter Jane’s murder.
With the help of the Rocky Mountain Information Network an analysis report on Durkee’s digital devices was received by the Elko County Sheriff’s Office in May 2026. The report indicated Durkee had searched the internet and specific websites for the name Shafter Jane, portions of the name and Elko County news. These internet searches for Shafter Jane located on Durkee’s computers started in 2020. A significant discovery was found that after Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office detectives interviewed Durkee in June 2024 about an unrelated missing female in Milwaukee, Durkee spontaneously began searching the internet for specific information on Shafter Jane.
Digital data further indicated that Durkee was not the crime buff as he claimed, he searched for information on one specific case, Shafter Jane. The digital data was a vital link between Durkee and Shafter Jane and confirmed suspicions that Durkee was monitoring information on Shafter Jane’s investigation.
DURKEE ALIASES
As detectives began to dig deeper into Durkee’s background, they learned Durkee had moved several times during the 1990s and early 2000s using several aliases. When detectives interviewed Durkee in August 2024, he admitted to using aliases over the years, which included Carol T. Hiel and James W. Kennedy. Detectives had also discovered that he used an alias of James Fenimore.
When Durkee was questioned about using the alias of Carrol T. Hiel during an arrest in April 2008, he indicated there was a “time during my bad decisions in life”, I “decided to kind of disappear” and he wanted not to be known as Roger Durkee.
MARION ALEXANDER IDENTIFICATION - OCTOBER 2025
October 2025, the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office advised that after digitally enhancing the deteriorated single right thumbprint, the identity of Marion Hertha Alexander was produced through FBI latent fingerprint comparisons. This was a pivotal point in the investigation because detectives had not disclosed the names that Durkee had provided to detectives during their interview.
Detectives learned a United Stated serviceman was serving in Germany in the 1970s. While serving overseas, the serviceman met and married a German born lady that had two siblings from a previous marriage. In approximately 1972, Marion Alexander immigrated to the United States with her family.
Detectives were able to locate Marion’s mother and met with her in January 2026. Detectives learned Marion left her California residence when she was approximately 18 or 19 years old. Marion was known to be a free-spirited individual who became estranged from her family. Her family questioned where Marion may have gone, or was living, but considering Marion was known to be free-spirited and drift around, she was never reported as missing to law enforcement.
After detectives had uncovered that Marion was born in Germany, had only two biological family members and a half-sister in the United States and the fact she was never reported a missing, it became apparent why there had been so many roadblocks in law enforcement attempts and efforts to identify Marion.
Armed with significant new information and evidence that linked Durkee to Marion, detectives believed there was enough evidence to charge Durkee for homicide and issue an arrest warrant. Detectives felt it would be beneficial and best if they were able to interview Durkee and see if he would confess Marion’s murder. Detectives began to plan a trip to Wisconsin so they could interview Durkee and arrest him for the death of Marion. While planning the trip to Wisconsin, detectives learned Durkee had died November 13, 2025. Durkee’s death was confirmed through Milwaukee County Vital Records.
The Elko County Sheriff’s Office would like to say Thank You to our many partners for all the assistance with the investigation. We could not have solved this case without the help and assistance of the:
Elko County District Attorney’s Office
Washoe County Crime Lab
Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office
Identifinders International
Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office
WI, FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigations Field Office
FBI ViCAP – Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
FBI CART – Computer Analysis Response Team
RMIN - Rocky Mountain Information Network.
I would also like to say thank you to our Elko County Commissioners for your support in our endeavors to solve this case.
