Summary
In 1986, the remains of an unidentifed homicide victim who was bound and shot several times, execution-style, were found in a grove area on Ralls Road, near Selvitz Road, in Fort Pierce, Florida. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office responded and found the man had more than $350 in cash and was wearing expensive clothes, including Jordache jeans and Nocona cowboy boots, so robbery was ruled out as a motive. It was determined that the man was between 37 and 60 years old.
The case eventually went cold and the man was buried as a John Doe at a public cemetery in Fort Pierce. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP1225.
In 2019, the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office reopened the case and began working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Missing and Unidentified Human Remains Program, to assist with the case. FDLE, through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program, contracted Othram to use advanced DNA testing to develop a comprehensive genealogical profile that could be used to generate new leads that might identify the man. Othram used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive genealogical profile. Upon successful generation of the profile, Othram returned the profile to FDLE, where FDLE investigators used forensic genetic genealogy to narrow in on the man's possible identity. During the course of the investigation, investigators identified a potential relative of the man. The relative submitted a reference DNA sample to Othram which was compared to the unidentified man's DNA profile using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man as 39-year-old horse ranch owner Blaine Louis Brown Jr., known by the nickname "Bunny", from Ocala, Florida. He was the father of two young sons.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the case. According to investigators, Brown was last seen on September 26, 1986, heading to Miami for horse-related business. His leased pickup truck was later found abandoned in Miami. Family interviews suggested possible involvement in narcotics smuggling, with ties to Ocala, Miami, Fort Pierce and Pittsburgh during the 1980s, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The Cold Case Unit continues to seek the public's help in identifying the suspect or suspects responsible for Brown's death. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Paul Taylor at 772-359-4407. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-8477.
Special thanks to FDLE, which accepted the case in its Missing and Unidentified Human Remains Program, facilitated the case being sequenced and uploaded by Othram using Federal BJA MUHR grant funds, and for leveraging FDLE’s in-house GGI Team to execute the forensic genetic genealogy research.
The identification of Blaine Louis Brown represents the 40th case in the State of Florida where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. To read about other cases in Florida, visit DNASolves.
Dan Miller
Director of Customer Service
Dan guides law enforcement agencies across the United States and internationally through every step of the forensic process—from crime scene to courtroom. He ensures investigators have the support and resources they need to navigate advanced DNA testing and maximize the impact of forensic evidence in their cases.