Closure After Decades: Bay County Authorities Identify Remains of Carol Sue Skidmore in 1980 Cold Case Discovery

Closure After Decades: Bay County Authorities Identify Remains of Carol Sue Skidmore in 1980 Cold Case Discovery

BAY COUNTY, FL — In a stunning development that brings long-awaited closure to a decades-old mystery, Sheriff Tommy Ford of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has announced that human remains discovered in 1980 have been positively identified as Carol Sue Skidmore, a Texas woman who vanished in 1977 under tragic circumstances. The breakthrough is a result of persistent work by the BCSO Cold Case Unit, the Crime Scene Unit, and advancements in forensic DNA technology.

The discovery marks a significant milestone in one of Bay County’s most haunting cold cases, while also shedding light on a deeply disturbing family tragedy that spanned across three states and left three lives lost — a mother, her child, and her husband — in the span of just two months.

The Discovery: A Shallow Grave in Bay County

The case began on an autumn day in 1980, when three hunters discovered skeletal remains in a shallow grave located roughly half a mile west of Highway 231, north of the small community of Fountain. The remains were of a woman, buried in secrecy and surrounded by damaged clothing that hinted at foul play.

Initial suspicions pointed toward JoAnn Benner, a local woman who had disappeared in 1976 and was presumed murdered. However, forensic analysis conducted at the Florida State University Anthropology Lab at the time ruled out Benner, citing differing physical evidence. Despite exhaustive efforts, the identity of the mystery woman remained elusive — a silent question mark in the files of the BCSO Cold Case archives for more than 40 years.

A Technological Breakthrough and a Family’s DNA

Fast forward to 2025: the BCSO Cold Case Unit — consisting of both retired investigators and active law enforcement personnel — took a fresh look at the unsolved case, determined to identify the woman using modern forensic tools unavailable in the 1980s.

A tooth sample from the recovered remains was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for DNA profiling. That profile was entered into CODIS, the Combined DNA Index System, where it triggered two hits: siblings in Texas who had submitted their DNA in hopes of identifying a missing sister. That sister was Carol Sue Skidmore, who had disappeared nearly five decades earlier.

The Center for Human Identification conducted a kinship analysis to confirm the match. The results were conclusive: the remains belonged to Carol Sue Skidmore, closing a tragic circle that had long haunted her surviving family.

A Tragedy Unfolds Across State Lines

The story of the Skidmore family’s final days reads like a heartbreaking true crime chronicle.

In March 1977, Carol, her husband James Ronald Skidmore, and her 5-year-old son, Lynn Dale Mahaffy, left their home in Sealy, Texas, to visit James’s parents in Rossville, Georgia, in what was described as a family effort to “put their marriage back together.” The last known contact was a phone call from Carol to her parents on April 9, 1977, where she expressed uncertainty about their return.

By May 1977, the worst began to unfold.

A child’s body was found in Parksville Lake, Tennessee — wrapped in plastic and weighted down, consistent with a homicide. That child was later identified as Lynn Dale Mahaffy through FBI assistance.

On June 1, 1977, Carol’s husband James was found dead in a Harrison, Arkansas hotel room of a drug overdose, confirmed as suicide. A note left behind expressed that “things weren’t working out for him.” Carol was missing — and presumed in danger.

Investigators now believe that James Ronald Skidmore murdered his wife and child, left their bodies in different states, and then took his own life — an unthinkable act of violence that shattered a family and baffled law enforcement for decades.

Closure, Gratitude, and Ongoing Work

Though one of Carol’s siblings has since passed away, her surviving brother was contacted with the final identification news. While the revelation was devastating, he expressed gratitude for the closure and for the relentless efforts of investigators who never gave up on his sister’s case.

“We will never stop seeking justice for victims of crime, no matter how much time may have passed,” said Sheriff Tommy Ford, praising the work of the Cold Case and Crime Scene Units. “I am so proud of their determination to find the truth and bring closure to this family.”

The investigation into the JoAnn Benner case has also progressed significantly, and Sheriff Ford confirmed that her file has been turned over to the State Attorney’s Office for review and potential prosecution. Additionally, the BCSO is actively working on identifying several other sets of remains discovered in Bay County over the years, using ancestral DNA and cutting-edge forensic tools.

A Reminder of Unrelenting Justice

This remarkable case serves as a powerful reminder that justice may sleep, but it never dies. Advances in science, coupled with the relentless commitment of seasoned investigators, have turned cold cases into stories of closure, accountability, and remembrance.

Though nothing can undo the horrors endured by Carol Sue Skidmore, her son Lynn, or their surviving family, the truth has finally surfaced, giving a name to the woman buried in silence — and the loved ones left behind a moment of peace at last.

Rest in peace, Carol Sue Skidmore. You were never forgotten.