Hillsborough County Sheriff’s & Medical Examiner’s Offices Team with Othram to Identify a 1995 John Doe

Summary

In April 1995, the skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered by fishermen near the northwest corner of Bearss Avenue and I-275 in Tampa, Florida. Tampa is located in Hillsborough County. Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene where it was determined that the remains were that of a male. The man was estimated to be between the ages of 56 and 65 years old and stood approximately 5’ 6”. It was determined that the man died of natural causes.

In June 2007, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP191. Forensic sketches depicting the likeness of the man were developed and released to the public in hopes that it would generate leads about the man’s identity. 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. He became known as “Bob”. In the summer of 2023, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, working with the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office, submitted forensic evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas in July 2023. Testing at Othram was funded through a state grant, thanks to a collaboration with the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the provided 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 that were returned 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 relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unidentified man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Christopher “Charlie” Mammana, born in 1918.

During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered a headstone belonging to Mammana at Easton Cemetery in Easton, Pennsylvania, however there was no record of him being buried in the plot. As investigators started following leads and locating members of the Mammana family to further piece together the victim's family tree, they learned that Christopher Mammana relocated to the Tampa, Florida area in the early 1990’s after the death of his wife, Connie. Christopher’s whereabouts and digital footprint disappeared in 1993, and had not been heard from after his move to Florida.

The identification of Christopher “Charlie” Mammana represents the 34th case in the State of Florida where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Most recently in Jupiter, Florida, John Lee Peppard, whose remains were discovered in a wooded area near I-95, was identified after 36 years.