The Austin County Sheriff’s Office has officially closed a nearly five-decade-old missing person case, bringing long-awaited closure to a local family.
In March 1977, Carol Skidmore, her husband James Ronald Skidmore, and their 5-year-old daughter, Lynn Dale Mahaffy, left their home in Sealy, Texas, to visit James’ parents in Rossville, Georgia. The couple hoped to reconcile their marriage. On April 9, 1977, Carol called her parents to say she wasn’t sure when they would return—her last known contact. A few weeks later, tragedy struck. In May 1977, a child’s body was discovered in Parksville Lake, Tennessee, wrapped in plastic and weighed down. The FBI later confirmed it was Carol’s daughter, Lynn. Just weeks after that, on June 1, 1977, James Skidmore was found dead in a Harrison, Arkansas, hotel room from an apparent overdose. A note left at the scene suggested despair over “things not working out.” Despite searches in multiple states, Carol was never found. For years, the case remained open. In 2011, Carol’s family provided DNA samples to the Austin County Sheriff’s Office to enter into national databases. Her information was published in both the Texas Department of Public Safety DNA Index and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
A Breakthrough Through DNA
In 1980, skeletal remains of a woman were found in a shallow grave near Fountain, Florida. Initially suspected to belong to another missing woman, the remains were never identified. That changed decades later. In 2024, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case and Crime Scene Units reexamined the case using modern DNA technology. A tooth was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for profiling, which yielded a match in the national CODIS database to DNA samples from Carol’s sister and brother. By early 2025, investigators confirmed the remains were those of Carol Skidmore, missing since 1977 from Austin County.
Bringing Carol Home
In June 2025, Austin County CID Captain Todd Ferner and CID Lieutenant Vicki Minyard contacted Carol’s surviving family members to share the news. Her brother and sister—who had provided DNA samples years earlier—were finally informed that Carol had been found. After a final forensic review in Florida, her remains were returned to Texas in August 2025. In September 2025, Carol was laid to rest, reuniting her with family nearly 50 years after her disappearance. While the discovery brought closure to Carol’s loved ones, the homicide investigation remains unsolved. Authorities have closed the case due to the lack of new leads or evidence identifying a suspect.
After 48 years, Carol Skidmore’s journey home has finally ended.
