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California mother identified after 36 years
California mother's remains found 36 years ago identified through DNA.
In brief
California mother's remains found 36 years ago identified through DNA. California mother Patricia Diana Fielding, known as Patsy, was identified 36 years after her remains were discovered near Ojai in 1990. Originally reported by Sfgate.
Remains found 1990
Patsy Fielding's remains were discovered on a hillside near Highway 33 and Creek Road in Ventura County in 1990.
Identified after 36 years
Authorities identified Patricia Diana Fielding, a mother of four from California's Central Valley, through DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy.
Family history
Fielding was born in Kern County on October 15, 1933, and married Joseph Coleman Fielding, an Oklahoma-born welder, before divorcing in 1967.
Family connection
One daughter, Susan Joann Streich, died in 2018, naming both parents among those who had preceded her in death.
DNA confirmation
In February 2025, the sheriff's cold case unit and medical examiner partnered with Othram to confirm Fielding's identity through DNA testing.
In short
California mother Patricia Diana Fielding, known as Patsy, was identified 36 years after her remains were discovered near Ojai in 1990.
