Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1991 John Doe

Investigators are working to identify a man whose partial remains were discovered in a wooded area by a dog in 1991, in Antioch, Tennessee.

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Published April 03, 2025 by Dan Miller
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Summary

In January 1991, partial skeletal remains were discovered by a dog in a wooded area behind a resident's home in Antioch, a Nashville neighborhood located about 12 miles southeast of Downtown. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to the scene, where the homeowner presented a skull. Investigators conducted a thorough search the following morning but did not uncover any additional remains. The remains were subsequently sent to the University of Tennessee for anthropological examination. The analysis estimated that the individual was between 30 and 50 years old and suggested he could be of white or Hispanic descent.

After the remains were recovered, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP1559. Despite investigator’s work to identify the man, his identity remains a mystery.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department partnered with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing can help identify the man. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team will perform records research and use genetic genealogy to develop new leads in the case. Anyone with information that could aid in the investigation is encouraged to contact the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department by calling 615-416-7803 and referencing agency case number UT91-1F.

Your support can make a difference in identifying this individual and reconnecting him with his family. Please consider donating to the DNASolves crowdfund [https://dnasolves.com/articles/davidson-county-john-doe-1991/contribute] to help cover the costs of advanced DNA testing. Additionally, if you have taken a consumer DNA test, you can contribute by opting into forensic genetic genealogy matching to assist in solving this case and others like it.

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Dan Miller

Dan Miller

Director of Customer Service

832-906-4247
2829 Technology Forest Blvd Suite 100, The Woodlands, Texas 77381
media@othram.com

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.

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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.