NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A human skull that was discovered by a contractor in 2004 has been identified as belonging to a Tennessee State University student who disappeared 39 years ago, officials announced Monday.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, a breakthrough in the case came following continued work on the missing person investigation and through the assistance of forensic scientists at the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification.

Alice Mae Sullivan was 20 years old when she vanished without a trace. Officials said she was scheduled to pick up her 3-year-old son from a babysitter's house on Aug. 28, 1986, after she attended class that morning. Previous News 2 reports state that her parents traveled to Nashville the next day to report her missing after she failed to return home.

Years later, in 2004, a contractor building homes along Stokers Lane in North Nashville reportedly found a skull. Police said the skull displayed "no signs of trauma," and officers were unable to find any additional remains after conducting a thorough search of the area.

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, forensic scientists matched an unidentified skull as belonging to Sullivan, according to the MNPD.

Authorities said an investigation into Sullivan's death remains ongoing. No additional details were immediately released.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/skull-found-two-decades-ago-in-north-nashville-linked-to-tsu-student-who-disappeared-in-1986/