Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 2016 John Doe

Summary

In October 2016, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered near the intersection of 25th Avenue North and Charlotte Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. Law enforcement responded to the scene and found the remains of a man on the side of the roadway in an area southwest of downtown Nashville. It was determined that the man was between the ages of thirty-five and sixty years. The man was approximately 5’9” tall with gray hair that was approximately three inches long and he had a long, gray/red beard.

No other identifying characteristics were available for the man and despite the efforts of investigators, the man could not be identified. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP16576.

In May 2022, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas in hopes that advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy could help generate new leads and identify the man. Othram scientists developed a DNA extract from skeletal remains and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man. Othram’s in-house genealogy team used the DNA profile in conjunction with forensic genetic genealogy to produce new investigative leads, which were returned to investigators.

Using these new leads, a follow-up investigation was conducted, leading investigators to relatives of the unidentified man. Confirmatory DNA testing was performed and has now enabled investigators to establish the identity of the man as Barkley Phillip Jones, born March 16, 1957. No other details regarding Jones are available at this time.

Othram has previously partnered with multiple agencies in Tennessee to identify nine individuals. Metropolitan Nashville Police is currently working with Othram to identify Davidson County Jane Doe whose remains were discovered in 2020.