A case that lingered in uncertainty for more than four decades has taken a significant turn, as prosecutors in North Dakota have charged a 65-year-old Arizona woman in connection with the death of a newborn discovered in 1981.
Nancy Trottier, a resident of Sun Lakes, now faces a felony murder charge tied to the infant’s death on the campus of what was then Valley City State College. If convicted, she could spend the rest of her life in prison.
The charge was announced Monday by Barnes County State’s Attorney Tonya Duffy and North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley, who described the development as a long-awaited step forward in a case that had remained unsolved for generations.
The infant, later named “Rebecca” by investigators, was found on April 16, 1981, in a wooded area on campus. Authorities at the time determined the baby had been born alive but died from suffocation. Evidence recovered at the scene included materials containing biological traces, though the technology to analyze them was limited at the time.
Despite years of investigative work and numerous leads, the case eventually went cold. The child’s identity—and that of any potential suspect—remained unknown for decades.
That changed in 2019, when advances in forensic science prompted investigators to revisit the case. The infant’s remains were exhumed, allowing specialists to extract a viable DNA profile. Using modern genealogical analysis, authorities were able to trace potential familial connections.
The genetic trail ultimately led to Trottier, who had attended the college during the years surrounding the infant’s death. Investigators later obtained DNA samples from both Trottier and her husband. A forensic report issued in 2023 found it overwhelmingly likely—by a factor of more than 3 quadrillion—that the couple were the child’s biological parents.
Trottier was taken into custody earlier this month and has since appeared in court. She is currently being held on a $750,000 bond, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for late May.
Officials say the case underscores the growing role of DNA technology in solving long-dormant investigations, offering renewed hope that even the oldest cases can still find answers.
