Summary
In July 2020, the Webster Groves Police Department noted and began tracking the remains of an unidentified individual in Deer Creek, near Kirkham Avenue which is located in Webster Groves, Missouri. Webster Groves is a suburb just west of downtown St. Louis. The individual's remains were recovered by the St. Louis Fire Department upon entry into the River Des Peres near Wabash Avenue in the City of St. Louis.
Investigators determined that the remains were that of a white male who stood 5’11” tall and weighed 225 pounds. The man was bald and wore tan cargo shorts and a belt at the time his remains were discovered. The man's manner of death was unclear at the time of his discovery and is still pending.
In 2023, the St. Louis Office of the Medical Examiner teamed with Othram to leverage advanced DNA testing and genetic genealogy to develop investigative leads in hopes of identifying the man. Anyone with information that could aid in the investigation is encouraged to contact the St. Louis City Medical Examiner at 314-622-4971 and reference case number CITY-2020-1836.
A DNASolves crowdfund has been created to raise funds for the remaining casework costs. Anyone can contribute here. We are grateful for your support. Various agencies in the state of Missouri have partnered with Othram to identify a number of individuals including the April 2024 identification of 16-year-old Helen Groomes, who went unidentified for nearly 50 years after her body was found in the Mississippi River in 1978.
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.