DNA: ID – "Doe ID: 'Dumpster Jane Doe' Laurie Potter"

Podcast: DNA: ID
Host: Jessica Bettencourt (AbJack Entertainment)
Release Date: May 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of DNA: ID unravels the extraordinary journey of identifying "Dumpster Jane Doe," eventually named Laurie Potter, and tracing her brutal murder to her husband, Jack Potter. The episode explores the years-long cold case, the application of investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), in-depth old-school detective work, and the dark personal histories that came to light. Host Jessica Bettencourt presents a detailed, story-driven investigation, focusing not just on the "who?" of the crime, but deeply exploring the "why?" and "how?" that led to resolution and justice decades after the victim's disappearance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery of the Crime (00:55–11:34)

• October 5, 2003, maintenance worker Fernando Padilla discovered two severed human legs in a green army duffel bag in a dumpster at Country Hills apartment complex (Rancho San Diego, CA).
  • The upscale setting confounded residents: "This is a nice neighborhood, but I guess crime happens everywhere." (Resident to NBC San Diego)
• Only the legs were found; forensic investigation revealed they belonged to a recently deceased white female (5'0"–5'3"), with chipped pink toenail polish.
• CSI work:
  • Legs had been meticulously cleaned with isopropyl alcohol, presumably to remove evidence.
  • DNA profile created from the femur—entered into CODIS and other databases but with no matches.
  • Other evidence (swabs, hair, trash bags, latent prints) ultimately led nowhere.
• Dismemberment likely done with an electric saw (Sawzall).
• No local missing persons matched; legs appeared to have been dumped by someone not resident to the complex.

2. The Cold Case Era and Challenges (06:30–13:39)

• Cold Case Investigator Pat Gardner and the team tried linking the crime to potential serial killers or similar crimes but failed to tie the legs to any ongoing cases.
• The victim remained unidentified for years, buried in a county cemetery.
• DNA from the duffel bag yielded a male profile but no matches in initial investigations.

3. Breakthrough with Investigative Genetic Genealogy (13:39–21:42)

• In 2018, Detective Troy Dugall joined the Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit and prioritized cases with DNA for IGG analysis.
• May 2020: The Jane Doe case was reopened, leveraging SNP profiling and uploading to GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA.
• Closest match (88cM) was a sex offender in Wisconsin named David. Further investigation revealed a tangled maternal and paternal family history, involving incest and adoptions.
  • Genealogical "happy dance": Unusual surnames and a scandalous newspaper article ultimately led to breakthroughs.
• After successfully opening sealed adoption records in Wisconsin, eventually linked to the Hubert family. Through extensive tree-building, a living relative, John Carlson, was contacted.
• December 2020: A parent-child DNA match was established between John Carlson and the victim—revealing her as Laurie Diane Hubert Potter.

Memorable Moment [18:50]:
"After just seven months of IGG analysis, in December 2020, the investigators had the name of a possible candidate to the Jane Doe found in the dumpster. Needless to say, John Carlson willingly gave DNA to see if he could make an identification. When the test results came in, they showed that the DNA of John Carlson was consistent with a parent child relationship." — Jessica Bettencourt

4. Who Was Laurie Potter? (23:48–33:00)

• Born August 22, 1949, in Fresno, CA. Married four times; son John Carlson from her first marriage.
• Lost her second son to cancer, leading to profound mental health struggles (bipolar disorder, alcoholism, agoraphobia).
• Laurie's relationships post-second son were chaotic and sometimes violent.
• Virtually estranged from her family for decades—her disappearance was unnoticed.
• At the time of her death, she was living in Temecula, CA, with husband Jack Potter—who never reported her missing.

Quote [24:30]:
"Laurie was described by her first three ex-husbands and her son John as a somewhat challenging person to live with. She was diagnosed bipolar and could be abrasive and withdrawn...she suffered from agoraphobia, which would become an important piece of evidence later." — Jessica Bettencourt

5. The Evidence Trail to Jack Potter (33:00–41:15)

• After Laurie’s identification, typical homicide investigation resumed, focusing on her last known movements and Jack Potter's behavior.
• Neighbor Susie across the street gave vital eyewitness testimony:
  • Noticed abrupt change in household routines—Laurie disappeared, her cat vanished, curtains never reopened.
  • The night prior: Jack seen taking out unusually heavy trash bags, cleaning the carpet, and removing furniture.
  • Jack’s cold claim: Laurie "ran off with a man she met on the Internet," although she was agoraphobic and left all belongings behind.
  • Issued veiled threats referencing being a "sniper in Vietnam."

Memorable Neighbor Quote [35:25]:
Susie to police: "That fucker cut her up and threw her in the trash."

• After Laurie’s disappearance, Jack Potter embarked on a spending spree—buying vehicles, a boat, showering gifts on a new girlfriend ("Lori 2.0," a dancer) funded with Laurie's credit.
  • Maintained the illusion that Laurie was alive for years, even fraudulently filing court documents to sell their shared home.

6. Potter’s Fraud, Cover-Up, and Girlfriend’s Testimony (41:15–50:34)

• Jack's second "Lori" received cars, cash, and gifts—she later supported investigators with her account.
• Potter used court loopholes and fraudulent serving of divorce papers to dispose of the Temecula house, years after Laurie's death.
• DNA from the duffel bag revisited; by 2021, Potter's DNA matched as the primary male contributor (89% profile).

7. Arrest and Conviction (50:34–59:15)

• Potter arrested in May 2021 in Rancho Cucamonga after elaborate investigative work.
• Prolonged legal proceedings due to delays, his stalling tactics, and COVID.
• Evidence (including his DNA on the duffel bag after 18 years) was circumstantial but substantial.
• In February 2025, Potter pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting to smothering Laurie in a "physical struggle."
  • His plea: “I unlawfully and personally killed my wife, Lori Potter. I acted with implied malice while involved in a physical struggle with my wife. I committed the act of preventing her from breathing, knowing it was dangerous to human life, and proceeded to do it anyway, which resulted in her death. I killed my wife without lawful excuse or justification.” [52:30]

8. Family Impact and Sentencing (59:15–End)

• Laurie's estranged son, John Carlson, described his efforts to reconnect, being misled for years by Jack Potter.
• Potter sent John a remorseful but evasive letter, expressing sorrow but dodging accountability.
• At sentencing, John Carlson addressed the court, saying he forgave Potter while acknowledging his own regret for believing Potter’s lies.
  • Potter was sentenced to 15 years to life; family found bittersweet closure.
• District Attorney lauded law enforcement efforts, declaring: “This was a brutal, calculated murder that shattered the lives of Lori’s loved ones, who then had to endure nearly 20 years of unanswered questions and unimaginable grief.” — DA Summer Stephan

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• On the neighborhood’s shock:
  “This is a nice neighborhood, but I guess crime happens everywhere.” (Resident, 03:59)

• On IGG and detective excitement:
  “Dugal and Vandersip did a little happy dance that they had a unique, easy to research last name.” (17:10)

• Susie’s blunt suspicion:
  "That fucker cut her up and threw her in the trash." (Neighbor Susie, 35:25)

• On finding closure through genetic genealogy:
  "This case was unlikely to ever have been solved without the use of investigative genetic genealogy." — Sheriff's Lt. Thomas Seaver [27:30]

• On Jack's tactics:
  “[He] maintained the deception, opening credit cards in Lori's name and fraudulently filing family court documents claiming he had contacted Laurie about the proceedings years after she had been murdered.” (39:30)

• Potter’s written guilt (plea form):
  “I unlawfully and personally killed my wife, Lori Potter. I acted with implied malice while involved in a physical struggle with my wife…” (Plea Statement, 52:30)

• John Carlson’s words in court:
  “He was the last person that I suspected would ever do anything like that.” (Son John Carlson, 54:00)

• DA’s closing statement:
  "This case is a stark reminder that the pursuit of justice never stops. And neither does the grief of those who lose someone to violence. Today we honor Laurie’s memory and stand with her family in their long awaited moment of justice." — DA Summer Steffen (59:00)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 00:55–11:34| Discovery, forensic details, and early investigation | | 13:39–23:22| Cold case status, IGG breakthrough, building the tree | | 23:48–33:00| Laurie’s background, disappearance, red flags | | 33:00–41:15| Testimonies, Potter’s suspicious behavior, neighbor’s account | | 41:15–50:34| Financial, legal fraud, and girlfriend’s testimony | | 50:34–59:15| Arrest, confession, plea, and sentencing | | 59:15–End | Aftermath, victim impact, justice, reflections |

Tone & Style

• Language: Detailed, clear, and narrative-driven; true crime journalistic style with direct quotations and police/court record citations.
• Host’s Tone: Empathetic, inquisitive, sometimes wry, but always focused on victim advocacy and justice.

Takeaways

• Investigative Genetic Genealogy can break even the coldest cases and provide closure for families.
• The “why” behind a crime often involves complex personal histories and motives:
  • Potter’s motive emerged as a blend of financial fraud, lust, and the need to remove his wife and replace her with a younger “model,” supported by his post-murder actions.
  • Laurie’s constricted, damaged life, and isolation make her story all the more tragic.
• Persistent, multi-disciplinary detective work—genetic, forensic, traditional sleuthing—was crucial in getting justice.

For listeners seeking an engrossing, thorough, and emotional true crime story that showcases the power of genealogical science and human determination, this episode is both a cautionary tale and a tribute.