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 a homeowner pointed authorities to a human skull. Investigators conducted a thorough search of the area and did not uncover any additional remains. The skull was sent to the University of Tennessee for anthropological examination. The analysis estimated that the individual was likely between 30 and 50 years old, and likely of White or Hispanic descent.

During an exhaustive investigation to identify the person, an anthropology examination incorrectly identified the skull as belonging to an adult female. Details of the case, including that the remains were a female, were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP1559. However, later DNA tests showed that the skull belonged to a male and the case became known as Davidson County John Doe (1991).

In 2023, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the person. 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 person. 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 Phillip Daniel Sydnor, who was born on June 21, 1950.

The investigation into what happened to Phillip Sydnor continues and 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.

A portion of Othram's casework costs associated with the advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy completed in this case were contributed by donors through a DNASolves® crowdfund. We are grateful to everyone that helped crowdfund this case and other DNASolves® cases.

The remaining cost of Othram's casework was paid by NamUs, a national program that assists the criminal justice community with the investigation and resolution of missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons cases across the United States and its territories. NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and is managed through a contract with Research Triangle Institute International. We are grateful for the support of RTI, NamUs, and the NIJ as well as to those who helped crowdfund this case and other DNASolves cases.

Individuals who have taken a consumer DNA test can aid ongoing forensic investigations by joining the DNASolves database. Expanding the pool of available DNA profiles increases the likelihood of successful identifications, helping to reunite families with their missing loved ones and resolve cases that have remained unsolved for years.

This is the 28th publicly announced case in the State of Tennessee where officials leveraged Othram’s identity inference pipeline. Explore other cases on Othram’s website.