Summary
In November 2003, partial skeletal remains belonging to an unidentified individual were discovered by a passerby on I-275 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Knoxville Police Department responded to the scene, with the University of Tennessee assisting in the recovery and examination of the remains. Years later, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center took possession of the remains to conduct an investigation and evaluation, where an anthropologist conducted a full anthropological evaluation, determining that the remains were those of a white male, estimated to be between 5'0" and 5'2" in height and approximately 40 to 60 years old.
Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP1545. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement investigators to identify the man, no matches were found, and the case went cold due to a lack of investigative leads. As part of their efforts to identify the unknown man, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center team with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man.
Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads, which were returned to law enforcement.
Using this new information, investigators conducted a follow-up investigation that led them to potential relatives of the man. DNA reference samples were collected from one of these relatives and compared to the DNA profile of the unidentified man. This led to the positive identification of the man, now known as Brian Aleric Sanderson, born on June 24, 1949. Funding for casework cost associated with Othram’s testing was provided by a congressional grant provided by Congressman Tim Burchett's office.
The identification of Brian Aleric Sanderson represents the fourteenth case in the State of Tennessee where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Most recently in Knoxville, Tennessee, Tony A. Brown Jr., who was discovered near the Marble City Outdoor Classroom, was identified after 36 years.
Michael Vogen
Director of Case Management
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.