Collier County Sheriff’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1985 John Doe

Summary

In February 1985, a man was walking on N. 2nd Street in Immokalee, Florida when he collapsed. Immokalee is a city located just southeast of Fort Myers. The man was drinking a beer and it was initially believed that he was intoxicated. Toxicology tests were negative, and it was ultimately determined that the man died due to natural causes. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene where it was determined that the man could not be identified. The unknown man was estimated to be between the ages of 46 and 60 years old. He stood 5’6” tall, and weighed between 135 and 150 pounds, had brown hair, brown eyes, as well as a short beard. Despite investigator’s attempts to identify the man, his identity has remained a mystery for forty years.

At the time of the man's discovery, he was wearing a green shirt, a gray sweater, a brown sweater, a pair of jeans, brown socks, and black shoes. Found near the body was a pair of bifocal eyeglasses with worn-out horn rims. In the left front pants pocket was a package of "headache powders.” Notably, he had a well-healed 14 cm by 0.3 cm scar on his upper abdominal midline.

In April 2008, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP1242. A forensic composite sketch depicting how the man may have looked during his life was developed and released to the public in hopes that it would generate new leads in the case. In an effort to finally identify Collier County John Doe, officials with the Collier County Sheriff's Office teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to generate new leads about his identity.

In 2023, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence, and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive genealogical profile for the unknown man. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used this profile to conduct genetic genealogy research, ultimately providing new investigative leads to law enforcement.

Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. Reference DNA samples were collected from a potential relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Charles Wallace, born in 1933.

The identification of Charles Wallace represents the 32nd case in the State of Florida where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Most recently in St. Petersburg, Florida, Jack Jones, who died in 1992, was finally identified after 32 years.

Grant funding provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the use of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy in UHR cases was awarded to Collier County Sheriff’s Office, allowing this case to be solved.

We would like to thank Senator Jennifer Bradley and her colleagues in the legislature for fighting for dollars for law enforcement agencies to help them solve these important cases.