Description
On October 24, 1987 bird hunters found human remains in a remote wooded area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a bit south of Lake Superior, north of Newberry in McMillan Township, Luce County. While the remains were mostly skeletal, military-style, but not military issue, clothing was found on the body, including camouflage jacket, pants, green camouflage t-shirt, green belt, green wool socks, and black combat-style boots. MSU forensic anthropologists determined the remains were that of a White/Caucasian male, 20-35 years old, about 5’8” tall with short, reddish brown/auburn hair. Years previous to his death the deceased had sustained an injury which required a metal rod to mend a broken leg. No cause or manner of death could be determined, but the case has been classified as a homicide. The man could have died four months to 2 years prior to being found.
November, 2024 Press Release:
Public’s help needed to solve John Doe Mystery
Body found in Upper Peninsula in Michigan still unidentified 45 years later
Luce County, Michigan – It’s the kind of case that haunts investigators – a man found deceased in a remote wooded area. No identification. No definitive cause of death. And no match to any missing persons reports.
Luce County John Doe has remained unidentified despite the best efforts of law enforcement and the DNA Doe Project’s investigative genetic genealogists. Now, they’re asking for the public’s help to spread the word to help find his identity.
On October 24, 1987, hunters found skeletal human remains in a remote wooded area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The John Doe wore military-style clothing and boots, and forensic anthropologists estimate he was 20-35 years old, 5’8” tall, and Caucasian. A metal rod in his leg indicated he has sustained a bad break earlier in his life.
In 2021, the Michigan State Police brought the case to the DNA Doe Project.
“We do not have any close relatives in the DNA databases. We suspect that our top DNA relative is in the third cousin range,” said DNA Doe Project Team Leader Gwen Knapp. “Tracing the records back far enough has been hampered, as we’re looking in the early 1800s in Poland and Germany.”
The John Doe also has very distant colonial American relationships back to families that were in Virginia in the 1700s. However, there are no close relations that can tie into his most recent common ancestors.
One branch of his family may have settled in Gage County, Nebraska.
The DNA Doe Project team has several working hypotheses to explain John Doe’s DNA relatives with migration patterns that come from Poland through both the US and Canada. It could be he was Canadian and the colonial American relations were British sympathizers who settled in Canada after the revolutionary war. Or, John Doe could be adopted or was raised by a father that is not his biological father.
“This case is an example of why it is so important that the public has an awareness of these types of cases and how the various consumer DNA databases work,” said Knapp.
Investigative genetic genealogists use GEDmatch and FTDNA for their research – the two databases that allow law enforcement access for forensic and unidentified human remains cases. When members of the public upload their DNA profiles created at other sites like Ancestry.com or 23andMe.com, they contribute to the work of researchers building family trees of unknown people. As the databases grow, the chances of making identifications using this technique increase.
“We are hoping to see more DNA relative matches in the databases,” Knapp said. “Luce County John Doe needs more of his relatives in the match lists – even distant relatives will help us narrow our search to find the right branch of his family tree.”
The public can help solve this case by spreading the word, encouraging communities in the geographic areas of interest to study the reconstruction images to see if they recognize him. Also, people of Polish and German ancestry whose families immigrated to Michigan and Nebraska are encouraged to upload their DNA to GEDmatch and FTDNA, along with people whose ancestry includes the surnames Sattleberg, Radke, Papke and Zabel.
Knapp wants the public to know, “You could be the match to solve this case.”
Anyone with information about Luce County John Doe is encouraged to contact the DNA Doe Project by email to case-tips@dnadoeproject.org.
NamUs ID: UP6754
Date Body Found: October 24, 1987
Race: White/Caucasian
Gender: Male
Estimated Age: 20-35
Estimated PMI: Up to 2 years
Location: McMillan Township. MI
Agency of Jurisdiction
Michigan State Police
Eric Johnson and Rachel Olesen
johnsone23@michigan.gov
Link to More Information
https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/6754/
https://www.veterandoe.com/unidentified/unidentified-person-michigan
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Luce_County_John_Doe
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/94ummi.html
Status: Research in Progress
Image Credit: Ruth Davis, Michigan State University
Last Updated: November 25, 2024
