July 30, 2025 • 8 mins
In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: In 1995, the body of a teenage girl was found behind an abandoned crack house in Atlanta. No one knew who she was. And no one ever came forward. For 30 years, she was simply known as Jane Doe. In 2025, thanks to groundbreaking science and DNA tech, she finally got her identity back: Kiyona Arnold. Her name may no longer be a mystery, but her death still is. Anyone with information about this case should contact the Atlanta Police Department Homicide Unit at 404-546-4235 or the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office at 404-613-4400. The agency case number is: 95-0716.
This is the story of Kiyona Arnold.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
highlighting a case that has haunted Atlanta, Georgia for three decades,
A case where a teenage girl's identity was unknown until
(00:23):
cutting edge DNA technology finally gave her back her name.
This story centers around a fifteen year old who became
known only as Jane Doe for thirty years, found buried
in a shallow grave behind an abandoned drug house. This
(00:44):
is the story of Keana Arnold. April fifth, nineteen ninety five, Atlanta, Georgia,
on the three hundred block of Atwood Street, six children
were playing near an abandoned house when they made a
discovery that would haunt the neighborhood for decades. There, buried
(01:06):
in a very shallow grave behind the vacant house was
the body of a young black female. The house where
she was found wasn't just abandoned, it had been used
to secretly manufacture narcotics. The victim was clothed in Google
boy jeans, a button down shirt, and aditis sneakers. Although
(01:31):
she had died just days before the children found her.
Her face showed no signs of decomposition, and what followed
was one of the most frustrating aspects of the case.
The autopsy revealed that the cause and manner of her
death remained undetermined For three decades, she had no name,
(01:55):
no family came forward, and no missing person reports matt
to her description. She became Fulton County's Jane Doe, a
teenage girl who had fallen through the cracks of society
both in life and in death. Investigators knew she was young,
(02:16):
likely in her teens, but without dental records or DNA matches,
her identity remained a mystery. The case file was collecting
us as detectives moved on to newer cases, but this
unknown victim was never forgotten. She was buried as Jane Doe,
(02:39):
her grave marked only by a number. For thirty years,
no one knew her real name was Hyanna Arnold. In
twenty twenty two, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office decided
to take a new approach to this thirty year old case.
They partnered with a forensic laboratory that specializes in advanced
(03:04):
DNA testing and forensic grade genome sequencing. According to reports,
this wasn't your typical DNA test. Oathram uses cutting edge
technology to build comprehensive DNA profiles from degraded evidence, evidence
that traditional DNA testing methods often can't analyze. So the
(03:27):
cost of testing was covered by a DNA Solves crowdfund,
and the process involved forensic grade genome sequencing to create
a detailed DNA profile, followed by genealogical research to trace
potential relatives. The breakthrough came through something called genetic genealogy,
(03:50):
the same technology that has revolutionized cold case investigations across
the country. Scientists at Oathram were able to trace the
DNA to potential family members and then use their testing
to confirm the match. In June twenty twenty five, after
thirty years of being nameless, the Jane Doe from Atwood
(04:14):
Street finally had her identity restored. She was Keana Cherry
Arnold born on March first, nineteen eighty. She was just
fifteen years old when she died. She had turned fifteen
only one month before her body was discovered. Friends called
her Wanda, a nickname that investigators were able to uncover
(04:39):
Kristin Middleman, chief development officer at Othram, spoke to the
horror of the case, saying, absolutely no one should be
found in a shallow grave behind some building, but it's
even more horrific when it's a child. Kiana's identification represents
(05:02):
the twenty third case in Georgia where officials have publicly
identified an individual using Oathram's technology. But while we now
know who she was, the most important questions remain unanswered.
Despite having her name back, the circumstances surrounding Keana Arnold's
(05:24):
death remain a complete mystery. Investigators still cannot determine how
she died or who left her in that makeshift grave
behind the empty home. Was she killed elsewhere and dumped there?
Was her death accidental or intentional? These questions have no answers,
(05:45):
even thirty years later. Kana's story raises a ton of
troubling questions about how easily a person can disappear without
anyone looking for them, especially a child. Was she in
the foster care system? Was she experiencing homelessness? Was she
(06:05):
estranged from family? The fact that no missing person report
was ever filed and no one ever spoke up about
her disappearance is really sad and concerning. Today, investigators hope
that Kiana's identification will generate new leads in her case.
(06:26):
With her name now out in the public, perhaps someone
who knew her will come forward, perhaps someone remembers seeing
her in the days before she died, or perhaps someone
knows who killed her. Keana Arnold finally has her name back,
(06:49):
but true justice has yet to come. While we now
know who she was, we still don't know who killed
her and why, and her death deserves to be solved.
At the time of her disappearance, she was more than
likely around five to seven in weighed about one hundred
and forty pounds. My thoughts and prayers are with the
(07:14):
family and friends of Keana Arnold. The Atlanta Police Department
and Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office continue to investigate her
death as a homicide, even though the cause of death
remains undetermined. They're asking anyone with information about Keana Arnold
to contact them. You can find their contact information along
(07:38):
with the agency case number, in the description box below.
As we close out this episode, don't forget to click
the follow button to stay updated on Keana's case and
others like it. Be sure to subscribe to Hunting for
Answers on YouTube and follow us on Instagram and TikTok
from our true crime updates. And if you are watching
(07:59):
us in YouTube, let us know your thoughts on this
case down in the comments. Thank you so much for
joining us on another episode until next time. Hunting for
(08:28):
Answers is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network, visit
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to
your favorite shows.
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
highlighting a case that has haunted Atlanta, Georgia for three decades,
A case where a teenage girl's identity was unknown until
(00:23):
cutting edge DNA technology finally gave her back her name.
This story centers around a fifteen year old who became
known only as Jane Doe for thirty years, found buried
in a shallow grave behind an abandoned drug house. This
(00:44):
is the story of Keana Arnold. April fifth, nineteen ninety five, Atlanta, Georgia,
on the three hundred block of Atwood Street, six children
were playing near an abandoned house when they made a
discovery that would haunt the neighborhood for decades. There, buried
(01:06):
in a very shallow grave behind the vacant house was
the body of a young black female. The house where
she was found wasn't just abandoned, it had been used
to secretly manufacture narcotics. The victim was clothed in Google
boy jeans, a button down shirt, and aditis sneakers. Although
(01:31):
she had died just days before the children found her.
Her face showed no signs of decomposition, and what followed
was one of the most frustrating aspects of the case.
The autopsy revealed that the cause and manner of her
death remained undetermined For three decades, she had no name,
(01:55):
no family came forward, and no missing person reports matt
to her description. She became Fulton County's Jane Doe, a
teenage girl who had fallen through the cracks of society
both in life and in death. Investigators knew she was young,
(02:16):
likely in her teens, but without dental records or DNA matches,
her identity remained a mystery. The case file was collecting
us as detectives moved on to newer cases, but this
unknown victim was never forgotten. She was buried as Jane Doe,
(02:39):
her grave marked only by a number. For thirty years,
no one knew her real name was Hyanna Arnold. In
twenty twenty two, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office decided
to take a new approach to this thirty year old case.
They partnered with a forensic laboratory that specializes in advanced
(03:04):
DNA testing and forensic grade genome sequencing. According to reports,
this wasn't your typical DNA test. Oathram uses cutting edge
technology to build comprehensive DNA profiles from degraded evidence, evidence
that traditional DNA testing methods often can't analyze. So the
(03:27):
cost of testing was covered by a DNA Solves crowdfund,
and the process involved forensic grade genome sequencing to create
a detailed DNA profile, followed by genealogical research to trace
potential relatives. The breakthrough came through something called genetic genealogy,
(03:50):
the same technology that has revolutionized cold case investigations across
the country. Scientists at Oathram were able to trace the
DNA to potential family members and then use their testing
to confirm the match. In June twenty twenty five, after
thirty years of being nameless, the Jane Doe from Atwood
(04:14):
Street finally had her identity restored. She was Keana Cherry
Arnold born on March first, nineteen eighty. She was just
fifteen years old when she died. She had turned fifteen
only one month before her body was discovered. Friends called
her Wanda, a nickname that investigators were able to uncover
(04:39):
Kristin Middleman, chief development officer at Othram, spoke to the
horror of the case, saying, absolutely no one should be
found in a shallow grave behind some building, but it's
even more horrific when it's a child. Kiana's identification represents
(05:02):
the twenty third case in Georgia where officials have publicly
identified an individual using Oathram's technology. But while we now
know who she was, the most important questions remain unanswered.
Despite having her name back, the circumstances surrounding Keana Arnold's
(05:24):
death remain a complete mystery. Investigators still cannot determine how
she died or who left her in that makeshift grave
behind the empty home. Was she killed elsewhere and dumped there?
Was her death accidental or intentional? These questions have no answers,
(05:45):
even thirty years later. Kana's story raises a ton of
troubling questions about how easily a person can disappear without
anyone looking for them, especially a child. Was she in
the foster care system? Was she experiencing homelessness? Was she
(06:05):
estranged from family? The fact that no missing person report
was ever filed and no one ever spoke up about
her disappearance is really sad and concerning. Today, investigators hope
that Kiana's identification will generate new leads in her case.
(06:26):
With her name now out in the public, perhaps someone
who knew her will come forward, perhaps someone remembers seeing
her in the days before she died, or perhaps someone
knows who killed her. Keana Arnold finally has her name back,
(06:49):
but true justice has yet to come. While we now
know who she was, we still don't know who killed
her and why, and her death deserves to be solved.
At the time of her disappearance, she was more than
likely around five to seven in weighed about one hundred
and forty pounds. My thoughts and prayers are with the
(07:14):
family and friends of Keana Arnold. The Atlanta Police Department
and Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office continue to investigate her
death as a homicide, even though the cause of death
remains undetermined. They're asking anyone with information about Keana Arnold
to contact them. You can find their contact information along
(07:38):
with the agency case number, in the description box below.
As we close out this episode, don't forget to click
the follow button to stay updated on Keana's case and
others like it. Be sure to subscribe to Hunting for
Answers on YouTube and follow us on Instagram and TikTok
from our true crime updates. And if you are watching
(07:59):
us in YouTube, let us know your thoughts on this
case down in the comments. Thank you so much for
joining us on another episode until next time. Hunting for
(08:28):
Answers is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network, visit
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to
your favorite shows.
Host
Hunter Gilmore
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