Summary
In September 2022, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Detectives were called to investigate human remains located in Golden Valley. Detectives responded to the wash area in the 2700 block of N. Ligurta Rd. in reference to a possible human skull being located. Once on scene, Detectives confirmed the skull to be human and found that it had been washed up during recent flooding. There were few leads to work from and the remains could not be identified. The case was entered into NamUs as UP98185.
In March 2023, Detectives with Mohave County's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) contacted Othram Inc. and requested their assistance. Skeletal remains were sent to Othram's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists developed a suitable DNA extract from the skeletal remains and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile. The casework costs for this case were funded by Project Grace, a philanthropic initiative to help clear backlogs of unsolved cases. We are very grateful for the funding support for this case and several ongoing cases that Mohave County Sheriff's Office is working with Othram.
Othram's in-house genealogy team used the profile in genetic genealogy search to identify new investigative leads. These leads were returned to investigators with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. The leads, along with a follow up investigation, led investigators to a potential relative of the unknown man and the confirmation that the unknown man was Jordan Victor Carvalho. Due to the state of the remains when they were located, an official cause of death was not able to be determined.
Jordan Victor Carvalho, 30 was from Golden Valley and he was reported missing by a family member in September 2019, after the family had not heard from him in a few weeks.
Anyone with information regarding the missing person case of Jordan Carvalho is encouraged to contact the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at 928-753-0753 ext. 4288 and reference DR#19-037765.
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.