Summary
In September 2020, a man living in a homeless camp in McCollum Park ventured out to dig a hole to bury his trash. While digging the hole, the man discovered what he described as a "large bone". Although hesitant at first, the man finally reported the skeletal remains to law enforcement. Investigators, acting on this tip, performed an excavation of the area and found more remains, including a male human skull.
The unidentified man stood between 5'3" and 5'9" and was likely between the ages of 20-40. Investigators suspect that he was possibly Native American, Asian, Hispanic or mixed race. Analysis of the unidentified man's teeth showed he had an "overjet", a dental feature where the upper front teeth protrude outward. This "overjet" can also be referred to as "buck teeth". The man also had "lip incompetence", which is characterized by an inability to keep the lips together at rest.
McCollum Park John Doe's death has been ruled a homicide by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office. An exhaustive search of the area revealed little evidence as to his identity or that of his killer. Details of the remains haven't been released, but an artist's rendering of what he potentially looked like has been released in the hopes that someone might recognize who this man is.
Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office has now partnered with Othram with the goal of using advanced forensic technology to identify this man or his family. Anyone that has information that could aid this investigation is encouraged to contact the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office at 425-438-6200. Please refer to medical exam case number 200927-87 or NamUs #UP75023. A DNASolves fund has been created to cover the costs of testing for this case.
Michael Vogen
Director of Case Management
Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.