Summary
On August 16, 1983, workers conducting trenching along the southwest side of a building in Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona unearthed a human cranium, a collection of non-human bones, and a time capsule. The co-occurrence of the time capsule and the fragmentary skeletal material prompted investigators to characterize the burial as "possibly historic in nature." Investigators determined that the remains likely belonged to a White male, estimated to be 30 to 40 years old at the time of his death.
Despite extensive investigative efforts, the man could not be identified and details of the case were entered into NamUs as UP10465.
In 2025, the Yavapai County Medical Examiner and Yavapai County Sheriff's Office submitted skeletal remains to Othram's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists worked to extract DNA from the provided evidence, and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile suitable for forensic genetic genealogical research. Othram's forensic genetic genealogy team worked to develop new leads in the case, which reinvigorated the decades-old case.
The investigation allowed investigators to identify the John Doe as Edwin "Edd" Mowrey. According to his family, Mowrey disappeared in the early 1970s after returning from Vietnam. At the time of his disappearance, he lived in Yavapai County, Arizona.
A DNASolves crowdfunding campaign was launched to cover Othram's casework costs; we are grateful to those who donated. The remaining funds were provided by NamUs, a national program that assists the criminal justice community with the investigation and resolution of missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons cases across the United States and its territories. NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and is managed through a contract with Research Triangle Institute International (RTI).
This is the 18th publicly announced case in the State of Arizona where officials leveraged Othram's identity inference pipeline. Read about 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.