Summary
In April 1973, the remains of an unidentified male were located three miles southeast of Garnett, Kansas, off 1550 Road. Garnett is in Anderson County, Kansas and is about 80 miles southwest of Kansas City. He was found wearing a brown corduroy jacket, a green long-sleeved buttoned shirt, jeans, a black leather belt with a large belt buckle, brown hiking boots, and a navy blue stocking cap. He was also wearing two gold rings with crosses, a ring with the number “78” and a silver chain with a large cross. During the autopsy in 1973, the coroner ruled the manner of death a homicide due to signs of trauma. It was determined the man was around 20-years-old and believed to have brown hair and a slender build.
Over the years, many attempts were made to identify the remains and learn what happened to the man. Despite an extensive investigation by law enforcement, the man's identity could not be determined. The man became known as Garnett John Doe, and has also been referred to as Anderson County John Doe. Details of the case were entered into NamUs as UP2344.
In 2024, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Anderson County Sheriff's Office teamed with Othram in hopes that advanced forensic DNA testing could help establish an identity for the man. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas where Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to investigators.
In early 2025, KBI learned the testing had identified relatives of the unknown man. After further investigation, KBI agents and the Anderson County Sheriff's Office located the man’s relatives. They conducted interviews and collected DNA from a relative for comparison. The unidentified person was then positively identified as Jimmy Allen Dollison.
Jimmy Dollison had been living in Kansas City, Kansas when he went missing. He disappeared sometime in October or November of 1972, when he was 16-years-old. According to family members, he was reported missing by his parents, but the family never learned what happened to Jimmy.
The KBI and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the circumstances of Dollison’s death. Anyone who has information about the disappearance or murder of Jimmy Dollison is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or report tips online at https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.
This case was worked as part of Othram's Project 525 initiative. Project 525, launched on May 23, 2024 in collaboration with RTI, which manages the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), aims to bring resolution to five hundred twenty-five juvenile cases published in NamUs.
The identification of Jimmy Dollison is the represents the fifth publicly announced case in the State of Kansas where investigators utilized technology developed by Othram to identify an individual. To read about other cases, visit DNASolves.
Dan Miller
Director of Customer Service
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.