Summary

In August 2019, Tennessee Department of Transportation workers discovered partial human remains in a homeless encampment while mowing 100 yards from Interstate 75 in Philadelphia, Tennessee, a town in rural Loudon County, southwest of Knoxville. The Loudon County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene near mile marker 68.6 and investigation was launched. The Loudon County Attorney requested that anthropologists from the Knox County Regional Forensic Center excavate and recover the skeletal remains.

Investigators determined that the remains likely belonged to an adult white man between 45 to 55 years old who stood about 5'11" tall. It is unknown when or how the man died, but there was no direct evidence of a traumatic injury, like a gunshot wound or blunt force trauma, and the man's cause and manner of death were ruled as undetermined.

Near the man's body were several items including a lighter labeled "Hot Spot" / "Rewards Spot", which is from a chain convenience store in North and South Carolina, and a 2010 Pennsylvania Tourism and Transportation map. Despite an exhaustive investigation, including distributing a composite sketch of what the man may have looked like when he was alive, the man's identity remained a mystery and he was classified as Loudon County John Doe. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP61281.

Recently, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Cold Case and Unidentified Human Remains Initiative along with the Knox County Regional Forensic Center and the Loudon County Sheriff's Office partnered with Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram where 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 unknown man. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used that 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 unknown man. Reference DNA samples were collected from potential relatives and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be John Arthur Troutman, born January 1, 1952. He was originally from Herndon, Pennsylvania.

During the investigation into possible relatives, John Troutman's siblings were contacted and said they had not heard from him since the 1980's. Investigators are hoping the public can help provide additional information about John Troutman and what he was doing in Loudon County leading up to his death. Anyone with information is asked to call the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office at 865-986-4823 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Othram's work on this case was made possible as a result of U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett’s 2024 Community Project Funding request through the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

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

The identification of John Troutman represents the 25th case in the State of Tennessee where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Visit DNASolves to learn about other Tennessee cases, where your support can help bring long-awaited answers to families.