The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has identified the remains of a woman found partially buried in Caddo County more than 25 years ago as Katrina Bentivegna, a 20-year-old Midwest City woman.The OSBI Cold Case Unit submitted Bentivegna’s DNA to Parabon Nanolabs in March 2021, according to a news release. Authorities said the lab submitted results back with possible genetic matches in August 2021.OSBI agents contacted possible relatives requesting DNA samples to compare to Bentivegna’s.The news release said agents were recently notified the comparisons were matched, and Bentivegna’s family was notified she was positively identified.”We are thrilled to be able to reunite Katrina with her family,” OSBI Director Ricky Adams said in a statement. “While it took 27 years to be able to deliver the news, we never stopped working to identify Katrina. We pursue all options available at the time for victims, and sometimes we have to wait for technological advances like forensic genetic genealogy. The first step in cases like this is to identify the victim. Now we continue our pursuit of justice for Katrina.”Bentivegna’s body was discovered on April 24, 1995, near Route 66 and Highway 281 in Caddo County. Authorities said it was difficult to identify the body at the time because her feet, hands and head were removed.A skull was found in 1996, and the OSBI later confirmed through DNA comparison that it belonged to the body found in 1995.Bentivegna moved to Oklahoma in the summer of 1993. She was married in November of 1993 and is survived by her son. “I appreciate all the hard work the OSBI has put into identifying my mother,” Bentivegna’s son said in the news release. “There have been many unanswered questions over the past 27 years, but now I have closure in knowing what happened to my mom.”Anyone who has information about Bentivegna’s murder is asked to contact the OSBI at 800-522-8017 or email tips@osbi.ok.gov.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has identified the remains of a woman found partially buried in Caddo County more than 25 years ago as Katrina Bentivegna, a 20-year-old Midwest City woman.
The OSBI Cold Case Unit submitted Bentivegna’s DNA to Parabon Nanolabs in March 2021, according to a news release. Authorities said the lab submitted results back with possible genetic matches in August 2021.
OSBI agents contacted possible relatives requesting DNA samples to compare to Bentivegna’s.
The news release said agents were recently notified the comparisons were matched, and Bentivegna’s family was notified she was positively identified.
“We are thrilled to be able to reunite Katrina with her family,” OSBI Director Ricky Adams said in a statement. “While it took 27 years to be able to deliver the news, we never stopped working to identify Katrina. We pursue all options available at the time for victims, and sometimes we have to wait for technological advances like forensic genetic genealogy. The first step in cases like this is to identify the victim. Now we continue our pursuit of justice for Katrina.”
Bentivegna’s body was discovered on April 24, 1995, near Route 66 and Highway 281 in Caddo County. Authorities said it was difficult to identify the body at the time because her feet, hands and head were removed.
A skull was found in 1996, and the OSBI later confirmed through DNA comparison that it belonged to the body found in 1995.
Bentivegna moved to Oklahoma in the summer of 1993. She was married in November of 1993 and is survived by her son.
“I appreciate all the hard work the OSBI has put into identifying my mother,” Bentivegna’s son said in the news release. “There have been many unanswered questions over the past 27 years, but now I have closure in knowing what happened to my mom.”
Anyone who has information about Bentivegna’s murder is asked to contact the OSBI at 800-522-8017 or email tips@osbi.ok.gov.
