▁via ▁DNA ▁analysis ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁DNA ▁Do e ▁Project , ▁with ▁assistance ▁from ▁the ▁Miami ▁Valley ▁Regional ▁Crime ▁Labor atory . ▁This ▁organization ▁had ▁been ▁contact ed ▁by ▁Dr ▁Murray ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁and ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁successfully ▁match ▁a ▁sample ▁of ▁King ' s ▁DNA ▁to ▁a ▁sample ▁submitted ▁for ▁comparison ▁by ▁a ▁first ▁cousin . ▁Her ▁family ▁decl ined ▁to ▁release ▁a ▁press ▁statement , ▁request ing ▁that ▁their ▁confident ial ity ▁be ▁respect ed . ▁ ▁King ▁had ▁last ▁been ▁seen ▁by ▁her ▁family ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁She ▁had ▁never ▁officially ▁been ▁reported ▁as ▁a ▁missing ▁person , ▁although ▁her ▁family ▁had ▁continued ▁to ▁search ▁for ▁her . ▁It ▁is ▁believed ▁King ▁had ▁frequently ▁h itch h ik ed ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁transport ation , ▁as ▁investig ators ▁had ▁long ▁the or ized ▁prior ▁to ▁her ▁identification . ▁She ▁is ▁also ▁known ▁to ▁have ▁had ▁t ies ▁with ▁both ▁the ▁Pitts burg ▁and ▁Louis ville , ▁Kentucky ▁districts . ▁ ▁Address ing ▁the ▁media ▁to ▁announ ce ▁the ▁formal ▁identification ▁of ▁Buck sk in ▁Girl , ▁a ▁sp okes man ▁for ▁the ▁Miami ▁County ▁Police ▁Department ▁informed ▁all ▁present : ▁" L aw ▁enfor cement ▁never ▁forget s . ▁We ' ve ▁had ▁a ▁long ▁journey ▁to ▁[ be ] ▁where ▁we ▁are ▁today ." ▁This ▁sp okes man ▁also ▁emphas ized ▁the ▁investigation ▁into ▁King ' s ▁hom ic ide ▁is ▁on going , ▁with ▁the ▁primary ▁focus ▁being