A haunting mystery that lingered for more than four decades has finally been broken — bringing long-awaited answers in the tragic death of a newborn found abandoned on a college campus in 1981.

Authorities have now charged Nancy Jean Trottier, 65, with murder, following a breakthrough made possible by modern DNA technology. The case centers on a baby girl, later named “Rebecca” by investigators, whose death shocked a North Dakota community and remained unsolved for nearly 45 years.

The newborn was discovered on the grounds of Valley City State College, about 100 miles from Bismarck, in a chilling scene that investigators would never forget. According to reports at the time, the infant was found inside a plastic bag, with her umbilical cord still attached, raising immediate concerns about foul play.

An autopsy later confirmed that the baby had been born alive and died from asphyxiation, meaning her death was not accidental.

Despite an extensive investigation in the early 1980s, the case eventually went cold — becoming one of those lingering tragedies that quietly weighed on the community for decades.

That changed in recent years.

As first detailed in local reporting, investigators reopened the case in 2019, taking advantage of advances in forensic science. The baby’s remains were exhumed, and DNA evidence was carefully extracted and analyzed using genetic genealogy techniques — a method that has helped solve numerous cold cases across the country.

By 2020, the analysis pointed investigators toward possible relatives, eventually leading them to Trottier, who had been a student at the college around the time of the baby’s death.

When interviewed by police in 2021, Trottier reportedly made statements that drew attention.

“Maybe it was me,” she allegedly told investigators, adding, “It could be.”

She agreed to provide a DNA sample, as did her husband. The results, returned in 2023, were described as overwhelming: experts concluded it was 3.481 quadrillion times more likely that the baby was biologically theirs than anyone else.

Investigators also reportedly matched DNA from Trottier to evidence recovered at the original scene, further strengthening the case.

Trottier, who had been living in Arizona, was arrested earlier this month and has since made her first court appearance in North Dakota, where she now faces a Class AA felony murder charge — the most serious charge in the state. If convicted, she could face life in prison without parole.

For the community of Valley City, the arrest marks the end of a painful chapter.

Residents say the case had cast a long shadow over the town, with many never forgetting the tragic discovery of the baby decades earlier. In the wake of the charges, some locals have visited Rebecca’s gravesite, reflecting on the life that was lost and the justice they hope is finally being served.

While the legal process is just beginning, the case stands as a powerful example of how science can bring answers long after hope seems lost.

For investigators, it’s a reminder that no case is ever truly forgotten. For the community — and for Baby Rebecca — it may finally be a step toward closure after nearly half a century.