Almost half a century after a woman’s remains were found in Macon, local and state investigators have confirmed her identity and linked her to the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history.
Yvonne Pless was approximately 20 years old when she was strangled in 1977, her body discovered off Riverside Drive in Macon. For decades, Pless’ remains were known as “Macon Jane Doe.”
Bibb County investigators joined forces with the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in 2018 when Samuel Little confessed to killing a Macon woman in 1977 and Fredonia Smith in 1982.
Smith, then, 18, was last seen July 10, 1982. Her skeletal remains were discovered in a backyard on Magnolia Street near Washington Park in Macon almost a month later. Clothing, jewelry and a wallet also were found with the bones.
In 2019, Bibb Capt. Shermaine Jones and the CJCC’s Amy Hutsell traveled to Wise County, Texas, where Little was being held, to confirm his confessions matched local cold cases, the sheriff’s office said.
After interviewing Little, Jones closed both cases and informed Fredonia Smith’s family members. But authorities still didn’t know the identity of Little’s first Macon victim. Last year, Jones and Hutsell used forensic genealogy to identify the remains, discovering one of Pless’ relatives and connecting with her remaining family members.
“Thanks to the dedication of Captain Shermaine Jones and Director Amy Hutsell, the family members of Yvonne Pless and Fredonia Smith now have closure concerning their missing or victimized loved one,” Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said. “I believe with continued dedication, teamwork, and advancement in technology, we can bring that same closure to other awaiting families.”
Little, who confessed to killing 93 women between 1970 and 2005, died in 2020. Eight of his victims were Georgia residents and he left the remains of a woman from Chattanooga in Dade County.
“CJCC is dedicated to providing innovative resources to our criminal justice partners,” CJCC Executive Director Jay Neal saidl “We were pleased to collaborate with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office to provide long-awaited answers in these cases. We hope that these answers have brought healing to the families of these victims.”
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with The Telegraph.
