Identified! PA - Marysville, WhtMale 45-70, UP12635, surgical repair lower leg, May'14 - Michael Allen Holober arrest

Richrd · Jul 15, 2014

PA - White Male - Homicide - Perry County, Marysville, State Game Lands 170,
Rye Township, NamUs UP # 12635 - Found 27 May '14

Day 49

Jul 15th: http://www.abc27.com/story/26023059/coroner-body-found-in-perry-county-male-died-of-gunshot-wound:

Includes Video

Jul 15th: http://www.wgal.com/news/police-remains-found-in-perry-county-related-to-homicide/26969632#!bfFYzd

Includes Video

Jul 15th: http://local21news.com/news/feature...k-into-human-remains-perry-county-10364.shtml:

Jul 15th: http://cumberlink.com/news/local/cr...cle_ef4cc46e-0c30-11e4-99a4-001a4bcf887a.html

Jul 15th: http://fox43.com/2014/07/15/skeleta...y-county-indicate-man-was-shot/#axzz37aV2uBII

Jul 15th: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/07/man_found_in_state_game_lands.html

NamUs UP # 12635: https://identifyus.org/en/cases/full_report/12635:

White Male -- 40-70 y/o -- 5'11" to 6'6" -- Brown Hair -- Gunshot Wound Ruled Homicide

Death Estimate - Between March '13 and August '13

Small Surgical Pin In Bottom Of Right Fibula [Calf Bone].

Dentals Available Showing Poor Dental Care - No Restorations

DNA Testing Could Take 3 to 6 Months.

Approximate Area Found: http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NDAuM...lbm5zeWx2YW5pYSUyQyUyMFVuaXRlZCUyMFN0YXRlcw==

Detail of State Game Lands 170: http://itouchmap.com/?d=1188468&s=PA&f=park

Approximate GPS: N 40 18.7054 -- W -077 01.4458

As Always: PA CrimeStoppers -- 1-800-4PA-TIPS - https://www.crimewatchpa.com/crimestoppers/

May He Be Quickly Identified, And His Murder Solved.

Paradise · Jul 17, 2014

Just a couple I found so far...

James Darren Mathis? Height is pretty close and his hair is brown/graying.
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/23154/98/

Robert Cochran? Height matches, thought to be in PA on 9/24/13, only thing off is his hair color. Everett, PA is about an hour and a half west of Marysville and pretty much a straight shot on the turnpike.
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/24518/161/

carbuff · Jul 17, 2014

I found Cochran too. Not much about him except for that Namus entry.

I'm ready to say that his dark blond hair might be considered brown, especially if only a few strands were found.

He has no mention of the surgical pin or of an accident that might have caused it, but sometimes details like that are withheld or the family just forgets to mention them.

Missing teeth could equate to poor dental care as mentioned in the article.

OkieGranny · Nov 20, 2014

http://www.abc27.com/story/27426450/midstate-mystery-the-man-found-murdered-in-the-woods

Chewning said the man was murdered; shot multiple times. But beyond that, there's not much he can be certain of, including the man's identity.

"At this point we've had no possible matches from the Harrisburg, Cumberland County, Perry County area," Chewning said...

Based on leaf cover and other evidence, investigators believe the man's body was there for at least seven months, possibly as long as 20. They believe he could have gone missing anywhere from the fall of 2012 to the fall of 2013.

Paradise · Nov 21, 2014

Here are the rule outs on NAMUS:

Craig Alexander 1961 Vermont
Michael Bayne 1968 Michigan
John Lecza 1956 Connecticut
Christopher McCarthy 1963 Washington
George Savopolis 1953 Pennsylvania

I think James Mathis is kind of out for this one, he seems a bit too young to be this guy. I'm still thinking this could possibly be Robert Cochran. Thoughts?

hayaletcatcher · Feb 13, 2016

Exclusions

Craig Alexander 1961 Vermont
Michael Bayne 1968 Michigan
Robert Cochran 1966 New York
James Colicchio 1955 Maryland
David Frasier 1947 Pennsylvania
Ray Gricar 1945 Pennsylvania
John Lecza 1956 Connecticut
Christopher McCarthy 1963 Washington
David Piacentine 1956 Pennsylvania
George Rymko 1961 Pennsylvania
George Savopolis 1953 Pennsylvania
Mikel Schepke 1965 Michigan

PJFL · Feb 13, 2016

I thought of Christopher Story until I saw the spinal rod and pins. FWIW, here's his NamUs link:
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/26496/0/

carbuff · Mar 6, 2018

Several more ruleouts at https://identifyus.org/en/cases/12635

Craig Alexander 1961 Vermont
Wayne Arnold 1952 Pennsylvania
Michael Bayne 1968 Michigan
Shane Boone 1975 Pennsylvania
James Britt 1961 Virginia
Robert Cochran 1966 New York
James Colicchio 1955 Maryland
David Frasier 1947 Pennsylvania
Ray Gricar 1945 Pennsylvania
Thomas Hayden 1948 Pennsylvania
John Lecza 1956 Connecticut
Christopher McCarthy 1963 Washington
David McEntire 1962 Pennsylvania
David Piacentine 1956 Pennsylvania
John Poltonowicz 1965 New Jersey
George Rymko 1961 Pennsylvania
George Savopolis 1953 Pennsylvania
Mikel Schepke 1965 Michigan
Ronald Westover 1941 Pennsylvania

This map shows the approximate location where he was found. The state game lands are to the right of Idle Road. https://goo.gl/maps/t1VCxMddkZm

Melt71 · May 10, 2020

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Death estimate is changed in Namus (originally March-August 2013 but now says 2012-2013).

CCJD · May 10, 2020

Melt71 said:
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Death estimate is changed in Namus (originally March-August 2013 but now says 2012-2013).

I'm thinking that must have changed shortly after Richrd's original post. The NamUs hard copy I have is from 2/15/15 and says the case had been last modified on June 23, 2014 and it has the probable year of death 2012 to 2013.

The link to the Midstate Mystery article (Post #4 above ) doesn't work anymore. The article is from November 19, 2014.

OkieGranny posted some of it:

Based on leaf cover and other evidence, investigators believe the man's body was there for at least seven months, possibly as long as 20. They believe he could have gone missing anywhere from the fall of 2012 to the fall of 2013.

It continues (I have a printed copy of article) ... "It's difficult to tell, but from what we can see, there was only one layer of leaf cover over the remains," Chewning said.

Makes sense. The man may have been killed in late fall 2012, after the leaves had fallen, therefore only the leaf cover from fall 2013 would be on top of him.

Similar situation with Turkeyfoot John Doe (170umpa). Leaf cover was also used in that case in determining TOD.

carbuff · May 10, 2020

Leaf cover is pretty reliable in states with heavy deciduous tree cover. There was a car up here a few years ago (I'm in MA) where they were able to determine the date of death to within a few weeks because the body was on top of most of the maple leaves and under the oak leaves, which often don't come off the trees until the first snow.

Melt71 · May 11, 2020

@CCJD and @carbuff thanks, that's really interesting. We learn so much good stuff here.

iulia · Apr 27, 2023

The NamUs page for this man has been removed.

cheemsg · Jun 9, 2023

Any updates?

CCJD · Sep 27, 2023

Identified as Michael Allen Holober. Holober would have been 47 years old at the time the remains were discovered.

State Police say Holober was living in the Strasburg, Virginia area in 2012 and had disappeared around that time.

Homicide suspect arrested, victim identified in Pennsylvania cold case

PERRY COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – Pennsylvania State Police say the homicide suspect in a Perry County cold case has been arrested and the victim has been positively identified. On May 27, 2014, Sta…

www.abc27.com

9-year-old mystery solved: Genetics used to ID slain man dumped in Perry County

DNA was extracted from skeletal remains last year and later linked to a distant relative of Michael Allen Holober, 47, marking a huge break in the cold case.

www.pennlive.com

othram · Sep 27, 2023

SOLVED: After 9 years, Perry County John Doe is Identified

victoriarobinson642 · Sep 27, 2023

othram said:
SOLVED: After 9 years, Perry County John Doe is Identified

PSP investigators used Othram's leads in a follow-up investigation. A distant relative of the man was identified and a DNA sample was collected for reference testing. Using the reference DNA sample, investigators were able to confirm the identity of the unknown man as Michael Allen Holober. Holober disappeared from the Strasburg, Virginia area in 2012. Holober would have have been 47 years old at the time his remains were discovered. Holober was officially identified in February 2023.

Holober's identification enabled PSP investigators to quickly jumpstart a criminal investigation to determine who was responsible for his death. It is now suspected that Holober was shot and killed by James Callahan in Strasburg, Virginia. Callahan likely transported Holober's body to the State Game Lands in Perry County, Pennsylvania where his remains were eventually located in 2014. James Callahan was arrested and charged with Holober's death on September 26, 2023.

othram · Sep 27, 2023

We have another case with the same agency that is crowdfunding now: Who is Perry County Jane Doe (1979)?.

Hoping to solve this one next!

Melt71 · Sep 28, 2023

victoriarobinson642 said:
It is now suspected that Holober was shot and killed by James Callahan in Strasburg, Virginia. Callahan likely transported Holober's body to the State Game Lands in Perry County, Pennsylvania where his remains were eventually located in 2014. James Callahan was arrested and charged with Holober's death on September 26, 2023.

Gosh he was keen to ensure Mr Holober wasn't going to be identified - it's a 2 hour, 130 mile drive.

cheemsg · Sep 28, 2023

Melt71 said:
Gosh he was keen to ensure Mr Holober wasn't going to be identified - it's a 2 hour, 130 mile drive.

I think it seems like they lived together since he killed him at his residence. He'd probably just be easily linked to the crime.

Identified! PA - Marysville, WhtMale 45-70, UP12635, surgical repair lower leg, May'14 - Michael Allen Holober *arrest*

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Identified! PA - Marysville, WhtMale 45-70, UP12635, surgical repair lower leg, May'14 - Michael Allen Holober arrest