Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and Othram Team to Identify a 2002 John Doe

Investigators are working to identify a man whose remains were discovered in 2002 behind a church in Nashville.

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Published March 28, 2025 by Dan Miller
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Summary

In August 2002, skeletal human remains were found by a hiker behind a church building of Victory Fellowship, a church which stood in the 1300 block of Lebanon Pike in Nashville, TN. The church is now longer there, but newspaper accounts in 2002 note that the remains were found in a thickly wooded area behind the church. Metro Nashville Police responded to the scene and the remains were transported to the Metro medical examiner's office. Investigators believe the remains are that of a man between the ages of 40 and 55 years old who had died between two months and a year prior to his remains being discovered. Although investigators suspected the remains belonged to a man named Danny Peter, his identity could not be confirmed.

Despite the efforts of investigators, the man’s true identity is a mystery. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in 2007 as UP552.

Now, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has partnered with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing can help to identify the man and end the mystery around his identity. At Othram, scientists will develop a suitable DNA extract that can be used with Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® for the development of a comprehensive DNA profile to be used in records research and forensic genetic genealogy. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team will work 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 UP552 or agency case number 02-340140.

A DNASolves crowdfund has been created to raise funds for the casework costs. Your support can make a difference in identifying this individual and reconnecting him with his family. Please consider donating to the DNASolves fund 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.