Summary
In March 1970, the decapitated remains of an unidentified individual were found on a rural road in Allegany County, near Andover, New York. The New York State Police responded and began collecting evidence and investigating. They determined the remains were an adult man whose head and hands had been removed with an "X" carved in his chest. Investigators determined he was likely the victim of a gangland killing.
Despite a lengthy investigation, the man could not be identified and became known as Allegany County John Doe (1970). Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP16681.
In 2023, investigators teamed with Othram to leverage identity inference, a process that enables investigators to identify individuals from DNA evidence, even when there is no known reference sample to initially compare against. Officials with the New York State Police submitted forensic evidence to Othram's laboratory headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.
At Othram, scientists reviewed details of the case, determining that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the man. Othram scientists worked to develop a DNA extract from the provided skeletal remains, using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive SNP profile that was returned to the FBI's forensic genetic genealogy team, which used the profile to generate new investigative leads.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man. Reference DNA samples were collected from a relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unidentified man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be Clyde A. Coppage. Clyde Coppage was a 35-year-old living in Genesee, Pennsylvania at the time of his disappearance. Coppage was not originally from the area and had never been reported missing.
New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigators from SP Amity are now asking the public for help as the investigation into Coppage’s death continues. Anyone with information about Coppage or the circumstances surrounding his death is asked to contact New York State Police at 585-344-6200.
This is the 20th publicly announced case in the State of New York where officials leveraged Othram’s identity inference pipeline. Explore other cases on Othram’s website.
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.