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Tom Green Co. Sheriff's Office provides update on John Doe found at Twin Buttes in 1987

The initial autopsy, forensic anthropology and dental examinations have failed to identify the man or develop leads. The TGCSO is still seeking leads in the case.
Credit: Tom Green County Sheriff's Office

TOM GREEN COUNTY, Texas — The Tom Green County Sheriff's Office has provided an update on the body of a male, found at the Twin Buttes Reservoir in November 1987.

A press release from the TGCSO said a body was discovered Nov. 15, 1987, at Twin Buttes, in the southwest part of Tom Green County, in an advanced state of decomposition.

The initial autopsy, forensic anthropology and dental examinations failed to identify the man or create any additional leads. Case information was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons database in 2013, and has so far not yielded an identity of the man.

Although an early facial reconstruction drawing was completed in 1994, the release said investigators wanted to explore the possibility that scientific advances would enhance the original drawing.

In February 2018, the sheriff's office requested that the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Va., perform a facial reconstruction of John Doe in hopes it would assist in identifying the man. The new facial reconstruction (shown in the photo) was based on forensic anthropology and dental examinations.

Additionally in February 2018, John Doe's remains were submitted to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification for a secondary forensic anthropology examination, forensic odeontology examination, as well as a DNA extraction.

This revealed John Doe was a male, approximately 17 to 27 years of age, and Caucasian or Hispanic in ancestry. The DNA analysis results were uploaded into CODIS, the FBI's national DNA database.

Additionally, the forensic anthropologist was able to tell John Doe suffered from spina bifida in the sacral area of his spine. It is possible that the Doe did not know of this defect.

In May 2019, John Doe's DNA was submitted to the DNA Doe Project with hopes of located any ancestors related to Doe. While close ancestors were not located, it was determined that Doe is of Columbian and European decent (see in the image below).

In December 2019, Doe's remains were sent to University of South Florida for stable isotope analysis in order to determine where Doe had been residing before his death. Those tests are still ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding the identify of John Doe and this case is asked to contact either Lt. Terry Lowe or Sgt. Billy Fiveash at the Tom Green Sheriff's Office at 325-655-8111.

Credit: Tom Green County Sheriff's Office

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