Mystery in Mohave: Mom Murdered, Two Babies Missing

In 1989, a young woman was found murdered in the Arizona desert. For decades, she remained unidentified, known only as "Jane Doe.”

Then, in 2022, a breakthrough. Investigators finally uncovered her name using updated fingerprinting technology. Jane Doe was Marina Ramos. But when cops contacted her family, they got shocking news: Marina had two baby girls—13-month-old Elizabeth and her 1-month-old sister, Jasmin.

So where are Elizabeth and Jasmin Ramos?

Now, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is releasing the first-ever age-progressed images of what Elizabeth and Jasmin might look like today—at ages 37 and 36. Creating these images was a challenge, since there is only one photo of Elizabeth and no known photos of Jasmin, who was only one month old when she vanished.

NCMEC’s forensic artists based both new age-progressed images on the single photo of Elizabeth, along with a photo of their mother, Marina. The resulting images are nearly identical, but investigators are hoping the pictures will spark recognition from someone in the public and help find Elizabeth and Jasmin. 

Elizabeth Ramos as a baby and age progression of Elizabeth; Age progression of Jasmin. (Credit: NCMEC)  

A Discovery in the Desert

In December 1989, four tourists veered off Highway 93 near Dolan Springs, Arizona, and discovered the body of a young woman—naked and brutally murdered. She had no identification. Investigators believed she had been killed at the scene just hours earlier. The case went cold. 

Mohave Desert: Location where Marina Ramos was found murdered. (Credit: Mohave Sheriff’s Department)

Then, in 2022, investigator Lori Miller with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office resubmitted the victim’s fingerprints using newly advanced FBI technology. This time, a match came back: Marina Ramos, a 28-year-old mother from California. Her prints were on file from a previous arrest for shoplifting sometime before her death. 

Marina Ramos. (Credit: Mohave County Sherriff’s Office)

Now, investigators are working to piece together Marina’s final days—hoping the clues will lead them to the missing girls.

Marina’s sister, Margarita, shared this note for our readers: “This has been a hard time for me and my family as we always wondered where the girls may be. We all have been hurting as a family for well over 30 years, not knowing where my wonderful innocent baby nieces ended up. We just want to bring our family together again and get to know our nieces/family members. I hope by finding them this will allow my sister to finally rest in peace knowing her sweet babies are safe here in this world and living wonderful lives. We hope you can please help us. If you know any information, please come forward.”

What We Know

• In August 1989, Esther, Marina’s cousin, was taking care of Eliabeth and Jasmin while Marina was in jail for shoplifting. Investigators say when Marina was released from jail, she picked up her daughters from Esther’s house. She was with a man known only as “Fernando.” Marina said they were heading to Ontario, California, to start a new life.
• When investigators identified Marina in 2022 and located her family, Esther worked with an artist to generate a sketch of Fernando. Detectives would like to identify and speak with him.

Sketch of Fernando. (Credit: Mohave County Sherriff’s Office)

• In December 1989, Marina’s body was found in the Arizona desert. The girls were not with her, and there were no signs children had been at the scene.
• Investigators believe Marina may have left the girls with someone she trusted. One theory investigators have: the girls were dropped off with someone and unknowingly raised under different identities.
• Based on evidence at the scene, authorities believe two individuals were involved in Marina’s murder—one possibly between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 2 inches, the other between 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 8 inches.
• Marina may have traveled between Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Ontario and Las Vegas in the weeks before her death.

Look closely at the age-progressed images. Do they resemble someone you know—a friend, coworker, neighbor or even yourself? Were you in California or Arizona in 1989? Did you encounter a woman with two baby girls named Elizabeth and Jasmin? No tip is too small. Someone remembers. Someone knows.

“It haunts me,” said investigator Miller. “I believe they’re still out there. And I believe someone knows something. If you even think you could be one of them, contact us.”

If you have any information about the murder of Marina Ramos or the whereabouts of Elizabeth and Jasmin, contact the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office at 928-753-0753 or NCMEC at 1-800-843-5678. You can also submit a tip at missingkids.org.