OH OH - Cleveland, I-90 bridge, WhtMale 30-50, UP1984, tattoo "ED", tooth #12 rotated, clothes, Apr'03

Irish_Eyes

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Here is the link to the NamUs page for the unidentified male found in Cuyahoga County in 2003:

https://identifyus.org/cases/1984

I think I have a match here, and just wanted to see if anyone can find a reason NOT to call this in:

Michael Sheppard went missing from Erie County Ohio on 4/30/2003. That's two counties west of where they found this UID on the very same day. Namus said he had only been dead for a matter of hours when found.

Michael is in the age, height and weight ranges for the Doe and his hair color is right.

The negatives: The UID is said to have brown or hazel eyes while Michael's are blue. Also, the UID has a tattoo on his finger of the letters "ED". I think it's possible for a small tatoo like that to not be reported on the MP side. Wondering about the eyes though.

Neither has DNA in NamUs. Michael's page says dentals available and entered, but I can't see them. The UID's dentals are viewable and all teeth are "N".

Michael was entered into NamUS in late August. I'm wondering if NamUs has flagged him as a potential match already, or not. If so, is it still worth calling in?

Here is Michael's missing thread on WS and his page on NamUs:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104173&highlight=michael+sheppard


https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/12147/7/
 
You'd think they would have checked out this doe by now with all the publicity surrounding Michael's disappearance. But I sure don't see him listed as a rule out. :waitasec: And after the match Carl made recently with Troy, I think it should be turned in. The worst they can say is no. And if this is him, WOW! Awesome!

I didn't see anywhere that said what Michael was wearing? Since his parents saw him last, you'd think they would have submitted that information.
 
I see absolutely no reason to not call it in. We see discrepancies ALL the time, and definitely can't assume someone has been checked just because it's glaringly obvious (agreed re: the recent case with Troy /facepalm).
 
I have to wonder though if he jumped from the bridge, where is the truck he was supposedly seen driving? Maybe he was taken, beat up and thrown from the bridge. I know that may seem less plausible. However, in the late 70's or early 80's my grandfather, (who I never met because he was not a very nice man) was actually beaten up and thrown from a bridge only a mile or so from this very bridge - and impossibly, he lived to tell about it.

This article does make me wonder. Given the phone call to his mother, I can see why everyone would think he was murdered. But I'm not sure what other info Tim Miller was talking about that suggested he was thought to be buried near Milan. Then again, maybe that's why TES didn't find him??

http://www.norwalkreflector.com/content/mother-missing-man-seeks-justice
 
Here is Michael's Charley page: http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/sheppard_michael.html

I say turn it in. I matched a missing person/UID from Cleveland earlier this year. I received a call from Todd Matthews at NamUS telling me it was a match and a detective working on the case telling me thanks for all the work.. blah blah blah and then they took all credit for it. Here is the link

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130856

So again, they could have swept this under the rug or not have tried to make this match. Go for it!
 
I have to wonder though if he jumped from the bridge, where is the truck he was supposedly seen driving? Maybe he was taken, beat up and thrown from the bridge. I know that may seem less plausible. However, in the late 70's or early 80's my grandfather, (who I never met because he was not a very nice man) was actually beaten up and thrown from a bridge only a mile or so from this very bridge - and impossibly, he lived to tell about it.

This article does make me wonder. Given the phone call to his mother, I can see why everyone would think he was murdered. But I'm not sure what other info Tim Miller was talking about that suggested he was thought to be buried near Milan. Then again, maybe that's why TES didn't find him??

http://www.norwalkreflector.com/content/mother-missing-man-seeks-justice
This article says that Michael was last seen on May 8. Is that article or NamUs wrong?

I don't see anything about a phone call to his mother in that article, nor why she thinks he was shot and murdered.

Guess I need to read his thread here... :)
 
What about this guy? He was last seen in 2003, about 35 minutes from where this body was found. He is around the right height, has same color eyes and hair. I don't think the date listed is an exact date of the last time seen.

His name is Edward
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/6893/26/

Another good possible. The dates are months off, but his DLC seems sketchy at best. And the ED thing seems like a ringer.

And this one I bet they didn't check because of the dates.
 
Another good possible. The dates are months off, but his DLC seems sketchy at best. And the ED thing seems like a ringer.

And this one I bet they didn't check because of the dates.
I was wondering about the dates for this one, and how accurate NamUs has been known to be. It seems that "LKA" would be such a basic important item to get rite. Measurements and weights seem more likely to be "off". Maybe some of our seasoned UID sleuths can tell us what their experience has been, especially with dates being off.

It's a bit discouraging to realize that such important data could be entered incorrectly, but then I assume that humans enter the data and thus are prone to error. Even computers make errors, usually becuz they are programmed by humans. :sigh:
 
Another good possible. The dates are months off, but his DLC seems sketchy at best. And the ED thing seems like a ringer.

And this one I bet they didn't check because of the dates.

I sent in the possible match. I will let you know what I hear...
 
I sent in the possible match. I will let you know what I hear...

OK. That was quick! I received an email back.

He said "I have examined Vannatter's dental records and found that he has had dental work done and also has at least two missing teeth. Judging from your UP1984 he had all of his teeth when the body was recovered."


I wish they would enter all of the identifiying info into the profiles such as dentals, dna, etc if they have it...
 
Awesome that they checked, and so quickly! Maybe send Michael Sheppard to that same person.
 
I did talk to the Cuyahoga ME's office today about Michael and the UID. I talked to Karen, who was great, and she was going to do some checking and call me back.

Cazzie, it is interesting to note the different dates in the article and on NAMUS. I found this article at AMW: http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=68849 and an article quoted on Project Jason that both use the April date.

Here's what's hanging me up right now. He bought a new truck? Who does that before killing themselves?

Also, if someone left their car on I-90 they would be easy to identify, I think. So they must have walked onto the highway from either W.25th or W. 41st. If you look at a google map, I think you'll see why my money is on W. 41st.

I'm wondering what time Michael was last seen vs. what time the UID was found.

I'm also wondering if anyone saw the UID jump.
 
I did talk to the Cuyahoga ME's office today about Michael and the UID. I talked to Karen, who was great, and she was going to do some checking and call me back.

Cazzie, it is interesting to note the different dates in the article and on NAMUS. I found this article at AMW: http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=68849 and an article quoted on Project Jason that both use the April date.

Here's what's hanging me up right now. He bought a new truck? Who does that before killing themselves?

Also, if someone left their car on I-90 they would be easy to identify, I think. So they must have walked onto the highway from either W.25th or W. 41st. If you look at a google map, I think you'll see why my money is on W. 41st.

I'm wondering what time Michael was last seen vs. what time the UID was found.

I'm also wondering if anyone saw the UID jump.

Did you ever hear back from the ME's office?
 
Also, if someone left their car on I-90 they would be easy to identify, I think. So they must have walked onto the highway from either W.25th or W. 41st. If you look at a google map, I think you'll see why my money is on W. 41st.

The parking in that area is a nightmare, no car would go abandoned for long if it was left there. I wonder if they checked tow reports from that day/the next couple days.

When I go to that area, I'm always wondering if my car is even still going to be there when I get out. So many rules. lol
 
Could be. I see this guy too...he is right on height, weight, age hair, eye color, but his LKA is a year prior....but his name is Ed, which would explain the tattoo
 

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