Body Identified as Teen Who Went Missing in 1975

It’s been 21 years since Fairfax County police officers found the remains of a female near a drainage ditch in McLean. Fairfax County Cold Case Detectives have now identified those remains as that of Patricia Agnes Gildawie, also known as “Choubi”.

Cold Case detectives tracked down a possible relative of Gildawie with the help of partners at Othram Inc., which provides advanced DNA testing and forensic-grade genome sequencing. This testing identified a half-sister, who shared Gildawie’s story.

Detectives learned Gildawie was born in France in February 1958 and came to the United States when she was eight months old. In the early 1970s, Gildawie moved to the City of Fairfax. Prior to her disappearance at age 17, Gildawie was dating an older man. He worked at an upholstery store, near the intersection of Church Street and Lawyers Road in Vienna. She was known to drive a white Cadillac Eldorado with red interior. Gildawie was last seen on February 8, 1975. Detectives continue to investigate this case with new information provided by the family.

Gildawie’s skeletal remains were found on September 27, 2001, in the 5100 block of Lincoln Circle. A construction crew found the remains behind an apartment complex along with some clothing. The remains were recovered and reviewed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and an anthropologist. This initial review determined the female died from a gunshot wound to the head. This report further indicated the remains were like that of an African American female in her late teens to early 20s.

Cold Case detectives connected with Othram Inc. earlier this year and learned the remains belonged to a Caucasian female. Funding for this testing and identification process was provided entirely by anonymous donors through DNASolves.

“Identifying this young woman solves a mystery that has been more than 47 years in the making,” said Ed O’Carroll, Bureau Commander of Major Crimes and Cyber and Forensics. “Our community should take comfort in knowing that our detectives never stop working these cases. Advancements in technology have given my Cold Case detectives an opportunity to pursue fresh leads and bring some relief to families that have been long suffering with the unknown.”

Anyone with information about this case is asked to submit tips through Fairfax County Crime Solvers. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web – Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App and follow the steps to “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 dollars. Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to follow up with you.    

For information about our cold cases, visit https://bit.ly/3rP9kdZ.