Austin Police Department and Travis County Medical Examiner Team with Othram to Identify 2021 John Doe

The remains of a young man found in December 2021 are to be identified using advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy.
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Published April 26 by Michael Vogen
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Summary

On December 20, 2021, the skeletal remains of an unidentified male were found in a wooded area off Alum Rock Drive in Austin, Texas. The unknown man was estimated to be between the ages of 16 and 20 years old at his time of death. The man is thought to have been white Hispanic and investigators believe he had black hair and brown eyes. His height and weight could not be determined. Since the discovery of the man, investigators have worked diligently to identify him.

In January of 2022, details of the case were entered into National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP87802. Additionally, a forensic artist with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children created a forensic drawing to depict the man's appearance. Despite the extensive efforts of law enforcement, the decedent’s identity remains a mystery.

In 2023, Austin Police Department partnered with Othram to generate new leads in the case. Anyone with information that could aid in this investigation is asked to contact the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office by calling 512-854-9599 and referencing agency case number 21-07855 or NamUs UP87802.

A DNASolves crowdfund has been created to raise funds for the remaining casework costs. Anyone can contribute here.

Help fund another case Your contributions pay for lab supplies and research tools

Michael Vogen

Michael Vogen

Director of Case Management

2829 Technology Forest Blvd Suite 100, The Woodlands, Texas 77381
media@othram.com

Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.

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About Othram Inc.

Othram is the world’s first private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence. Othram’s scientists are experts at ... Read morerecovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA from trace quantities of degraded or contaminated materials. Founded in 2018, and located in The Woodlands, Texas, our team works with academic researchers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies to achieve results when other approaches have failed. Follow Othram on Twitter @OthramTech or visit Othram.com to learn how we can help you with your case. With dnasolves.com anyone can make a difference and help solve the next cold case.