Leslie A. Shaw

For nearly 35 years, she was known only as the “Sorrento Jane Doe,” a woman found murdered along a wooded trail in Central Florida whose identity was a complete mystery. In the summer of 2026, through the tireless work of detectives and the power of forensic genealogy, she was finally given her name back: Leslie A. Shaw. Born in 1958 in Port Chester, New York, Leslie was 33 years old at the time of her death. She had moved from New York to Winter Springs, Florida, and had become estranged from her family. Her sister later told investigators that the family believed Leslie simply wished to remain apart and, for that reason, had never reported her missing. Skeletal analysis indicated she had given birth to at least one, and possibly two, children during her life.

On the morning of December 7, 1991, a hiker walking in a wooded area off Ethel Drive in Sorrento, Florida, made a grim discovery. About 75 yards down a trail, hidden beneath a pile of tree branches, were the remains of a woman. Investigators from the Lake County Sheriff's Office determined she had been brutally sexually assaulted and strangled to death. At the time, they could only describe her as a woman between 25 and 35 years old, standing about five feet four inches tall and weighing around 125 pounds. She had hazel eyes and brown hair styled in a "mullet" with frosted blonde tips. She wore a red hooded sweatshirt, a blue and pink shirt, and a sports bra. A unique pair of gold-colored earrings with stars, hearts, and beads dangling from black lace were found with her. Despite having had orthodontics at some point, her teeth showed signs of recent neglect, and toxicology tests found traces of cocaine in her system.

The initial investigation led to a suspect, Joseph A. Rolle, Jr., who was charged with both the rape and murder of the unidentified woman. A jury, however, delivered a split verdict, convicting Rolle of her rape but acquitting him of her murder. Rolle denied knowing the victim's identity, leaving detectives with a convicted rapist but a murder case that was officially unsolved and a victim without a name. For decades, the case grew cold. Investigators entered her details into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under the case number UP6031, including her fingerprints, dental records, and a composite sketch of what she may have looked like.

The first major break came in 2016 when a DNA profile was developed for the Sorrento Jane Doe, but it yielded no matches in national databases. The case stalled again until 2025, when Lake County detectives submitted the DNA evidence to Othram, a private lab specializing in forensic genetic genealogy. In May 2026, Othram’s team contacted detectives with a monumental lead: they had found a likely sister to Jane Doe living in Rhode Island. Detectives reached out to the woman, who confirmed she had a sister named Leslie Shaw who had moved to central Florida and lost all contact with the family around 1991.

The woman provided a DNA sample for comparison. On July 29, 2026, Othram confirmed the DNA match. After 35 years, the Sorrento Jane Doe was officially identified as Leslie A. Shaw. The identification marked a major turning point, but it did not close the case. It opened a new chapter in the pursuit of justice for Leslie's murder.

As of August 2026, the Lake County Sheriff's Office is actively re-evaluating Leslie's entire case. With her identity now known, detectives hope to uncover new leads and re-examine old evidence to determine who was responsible for her homicide. They are looking into whether Joseph A. Rolle, Jr., or another individual, committed the murder for which no one has ever been held accountable. The investigation remains open and active.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office continues to seek information about the murder of Leslie A. Shaw. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Cold Case Team at 352-343-9529 or email [email protected]. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crimeline at 800-423-8477.