Summary
In October 1987, skeletal remains were discovered in Tattnall County, Georgia. Tattnall County is a rural county in the southeast portion of Georgia. The remains belong to a white male, estimated to be between 19 and 29 years old, standing approximately 5’9” and weighing around 157 pounds. He was found wearing Levi’s jeans, Converse All-Star shoes (size 10.5), and Jockey underwear (size 28-32). Investigators also found a key to a Honda AMC motorcycle (1979 or newer, 700-1000cc) attached to a “Ships Ahoy Cruise” key fob. Investigators found skeletal remains in a wooded area near Wilkerson Cemetery in Collins, Georgia.
Despite investigative efforts, the individual has remained unidentified for 37 years. The case has been entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP4700, but traditional forensic methods have not led to a positive identification.
In 2025, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation – Region 5 partnered with Othram to apply advanced forensic DNA testing. Othram will conduct DNA extraction and Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®, building a profile that can be used for forensic genetic genealogy analysis.
If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation – Region 5 at 912-871-1121 and referencing agency case 05-0113-01-88 or NamUs ID UP4700.
A DNASolves crowdfund has been created to raise funds for the casework costs. Anyone can contribute here. We are grateful for your support.
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.