After nearly 37 years, the man who was struck and killed by a train in Flagstaff, Arizona in October 1989 finally has a name. Timothy Lee Benally was identified using advanced fingerprint re-examination following a lead from DNA testing.
Timothy Benally
Investigators originally preserved partial fingerprints with the DPS Northern Regional Crime Lab following the 1989 incident. After the Navajo Nation Police Department collected a DNA sample from the family of a long-term missing relative, the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office notified the Flagstaff Police Department in September 2026 of a potential match.
The Flagstaff Police Department detective division initiated further steps to verify the identification by comparing the original partial fingerprints using modern identification technology, which confirmed the match. The successful identification brings closure to Mr. Benally’s family after almost four decades.
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Description:
On October 20, 1989, an eastbound freight train struck and killed a man in Flagstaff, Arizona. Authorities determined that he was Native American and between 30-55 years old at the time of his death. He was 5’7” tall, weighed 180 pounds, and was wearing a brown sweater over a turtleneck and light blue trousers. His glasses were found under his sweater. He had medium length brown hair, brown eyes, and a moustache.
NamUs ID:
UP10710
Date Body Found:
20 October 1989
Race:
American Indian/Native American
Sex:
Male
Estimated Age:
30-55
Estimated PMI:
Minutes
Agency of Jurisdiction:
Coconino County Medical Examiner
Anna Kuykendall, Forensic Investigator
928-679-8775
akuykendall@coconino.az.gov
More Information:
https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/10710/details?nav
Status:
Identified
Last Updated: September 29, 2026
