ApexNews
MYSTERY

'Nation River Lady' identified 47 years after strangled body found floating in river, murder charge filed

July 7th, 2023

A woman whose body was found floating in a Canadian river nearly 50 years ago has finally been identified by authorities, and a man has been charged with her murder.

In a Wednesday press release, Ontario Provincial Police said that DNA testing proves that 48-year-old American Jewell "Lalla" Langford is the woman dubbed the "Nation River Lady" in 1975, when her strangled body was found floating in eastern Ontario’s Nation River.

Authorities explained that a DNA profile was obtained in 2019 and through a lab in the United States using whole genome sequencing, the sample matches samples from two family members listed in a family DNA tree.

"This is believed to be the first case in Canada of this nature to identify human remains through Forensic Genealogy," the press release stated.

Authorities said that Langford was a prominent member of the Jackson, Tennessee, business community and co-owned a spa with her ex-husband. Born in 1927, police say Langford traveled to Montreal in April 1975 and never returned home to her family in Tennessee.

Garmin Outdoor Products

In addition to identifying Langford, police said they have charged 81-year-old Randy Nichols with her murder and believe the two knew each other.

Authorities said that Langford was a prominent member of the Jackson, Tennessee, business community and co-owned a spa with her ex-husband. Born in 1927, police say Langford traveled to Montreal in April 1975 and never returned home to her family in Tennessee.

In addition to identifying Langford, police said they have charged 81-year-old Randy Nichols with her murder and believe the two knew each other.

"As science and technology progressed over the years and with continued collaboration by all investigating organizations, we were finally able to answer those questions. Our work is about finding the truth for families like Jewell's and never giving up regardless of the passage of time."

"As science and technology progressed over the years and with continued collaboration by all investigating organizations, we were finally able to answer those questions. Our work is about finding the truth for families like Jewell's and never giving up regardless of the passage of time."

View Original Article

Curated By

Maya Gupta
Investigative Journalist | Grassroots Movement Organizer | Economy Consultant/Speaker
email
Maya Gupta writes from the fault lines of a world that refuses to stay quiet. Focused on the collisions between culture, power, and accountability, her work cuts past polished narratives to expose what’s really moving beneath the surface. From the rise of creator-driven influence to athlete activism and grassroots resistance, she tracks the momentum shaping a generation unwilling to wait its turn. Her reporting doesn’t cater to comfort, it confronts it, challenging institutions that lean on legacy instead of legitimacy. With a voice rooted in urgency and a lens tuned to those often ignored, Maya delivers coverage that reflects the stakes as they are, not as they’re packaged. This is journalism that doesn’t just observe change, it stands in the middle of it, documenting the push, the backlash, and the undeniable shift underway.

Suggested Reading

The Forever Witness: How DNA and Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder

A relentless detective and an amateur genealogist solve a haunting cold case—and launch a crime-fighting revolution that tests the fragile line between justice and privacy. In November 1987, a young couple on an overnight trip to Seattle vanished without a trace. A week later, the bodies of Tanya V...

View Details

Green River Killer

Throughout the 1980s, the highest priority of Seattle-area police was the apprehension of the Green River Killer, the man responsible for the murders of dozens of women. In 1990, with the body count numbering at least forty-eight, the case was put in the hands of a single detective, Tom Jensen. Afte...

View Details

Inside the Cell: The Dark Side of Forensic DNA

Josiah Sutton was convicted of rape. He was five inches shorter and 65 pounds lighter than the suspect described by the victim, but at trial a lab analyst testified that his DNA was found at the crime scene. His case looked like many others -- arrest, swab, match, conviction. But there was just one ...

View Details

Silent Witness: Forensic DNA Evidence in Criminal Investigations and Humanitarian Disasters

Since its introduction in the late 1980s, DNA analysis has revolutionized the forensic sciences: it has helped to convict the guilty, exonerate the wrongfully convicted, identify victims of mass atrocities, and reunite families whose members have been separated by war and repressive regimes. Yet, ma...

View Details

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you accept our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.