Identified! Canada - Regina, SK, WhtMale 720UMSK, 20-30, hit by train, Jul'95 - Michael Kirov (Lewis)

Unidentified White Male

• The victim was discovered on July 28, 1995 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Estimated Date of Death: July 28, 1995
• Cause of Death: Suicide

Vital Statistics

Estimated age: 20-30 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'9"; 140-160 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Clean-shaven, with short, medium-brown hair; blue eyes. The deceased had no tattoos, surgical scars or unusual characteristics that might have helped to identify him.
Dentals: Available


Clothing: He was wearing a black denim button shirt with a gold “crown” logo displayed on the left front pocket. Under this shirt the victim wore a white t-shirt with the words "Boca Authentic" on the front. He also wore faded blue jeans, white socks and a pair of size 12 and 1/2, blue and white Reebok runners.

• Fingerprints: Available
• DNA: Available
• AKA: The victim called himself "David"

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I originally learned of this story from this article:
http://www.cbc.ca/sask/story/train-fatality051208.html
which has an interesting sketch. (Please note the sketch has since been removed and replaced by the composite)

Then I found the police site which has the MP3s of the interview with a person that provided a lot of information about the possible identity of the victim http://www.police.regina.sk.ca/johndoe.htm and had an updated composite.

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I submitted two possible matches to a terrific police officer, he's checking them out now:

I thought the sketch looked a lot like David Branton - as stated above the sketch is no longer available but it looked almost identical to David Branton.
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1533dmpa.html

but I thought the composite looked a lot like Daren Allen Kelley
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1428dmfl.html



The stats match both of these possibilities.

As an aside, since I contacted the police, they've got in touch with the Doe Network and there is now a listing there as well.
http://doenetwork.org/cases/720umsk.html

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Do you know of another possibility?


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P.S. Here is a copy of the sketch, I found it elsewhere.

>> In his pocket, there was a silver brooch, shaped like a rose, sometimes referred to as “The Christmas Rose”. <<

The gold rose pin reminds me of something I had seen fifteen years earlier. In 1980, a Marine Corps Officer in Biloxi, Mississippi gave very similar gold roses to all of the girls competing in the Miss Universe Pagent.

He stated that they were from an advertising campaign or promotion of Marine Corps Recruiting from an earlier time (in the early 1970's). The theme or catch phrase had been "We Never Promised You a Rose Garden". It was taken from a song of the same name and Recruiting commercials on TV would play that song while showing a Marine in Full Dress Blues doing a fancy rifle drill with an M-14, and then showing other photos of Marines doing all sorts of physical feats.

I do not know if this recruiting campaign had the roses specially made for it, or if they simply bought roses that were already commercially available. They were a popular thing for Marines to give to family members, girl friends or acquaintances.

Wow Richard that's very interesting about the Marines!

In Canada, the "People's" Jewellery chain (national) sold a similiar rose - in gold, or silver. It was priced under $20 so a lot were sold.

This is another case that I think about often. Lots of clues to go on but yet still 13 years later it's still unsolved.

Here is the case: http://doenetwork.org/cases/720umsk.html

"Police interviewed two CP rail employees who had just witnessed the young man come from the ditch on the south side of the tracks, when the engineer blew the horn, the man stepped back, clear of the tracks, he seemed to change his mind, then position himself in the path of an eastbound, four-locomotive train hauling 104 box cars. The crew was unable to stop the train, which was traveling approximately 65-70 kilometers per hour as it approached the crossing. The railway traffic control arm was down and the red warning lights were functioning. The victim was killed instantly by the impact. "

Lots of press about this case too. This is a good one to read:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2000/07/28/mysteryman.html


"Police have learned a lot about the man, things that tell them the type of man he was, but not who he was. For example:

• The man was a drifter, but had not been one for long. A hitchhiker who hooked up with the mystery man for a while says he didn't know street slang, and barely knew how to thumb a ride.
• He seemed to come from an upper class background. His manners were impeccable. He washed his hands carefully and folded a paper napkin on his lap before eating at a McDonalds restaurant.
• His nails appeared manicured, and he was well dressed and well groomed.
• He would have been 20-30 years old when he died in 1995.
• He wore size 12½ shoes.
• He constantly wrote in a diary, but the book was never found.
• He used a silver fountain pen; very unusual for a man of his age.
• He spoke of a woman named "Kathy"; a relationship that had ended. Police believe a silver woman's brooch in the shape of a small rose which was found on the man's body may have held special significance for him.
• Finally, police believe he may have been from the Maritimes or New England, as he spoke of going 'back east'."

This page here has audio clips from the transient that was travelling with him. http://www.reginapolice.ca/cold_cases.html (scroll down to the bottom of page)


Here is my top choice:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/427dmns.html

So many things in common. Both into books, well manored and hitchhiked/traveled across Canada, educated, region missing, etc. The only thing that doesnt fit is that his eye color is listed as green where as the unidentifed is blue. I think the pictures look alike too.

My longshots are:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/521dmqc.html
and
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/581dmqc.html

I'm interested to see if there are any matches to missing men from the New England states from around 1992-1995

I know we can solve this one.

The Doe Network:
Case File 720UMSK

Reconstruction of Victim
Unidentified White Male

• The victim was discovered on July 28, 1995 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Estimated Date of Death: July 28, 1995
• Cause of Death: Suicide

Vital Statistics

• Estimated age: 20-30 years old
• Approximate Height and Weight: 5'9"; 140-160 lbs.
• Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Clean-shaven, with short, medium-brown hair; blue eyes. The deceased had no tattoos, surgical scars or unusual characteristics that might have helped to identify him.
• Dentals: Available
• Clothing: He was wearing a black denim button shirt with a gold “crown” logo displayed on the left front pocket. Under this shirt the victim wore a white t-shirt with the words "Boca Authentic" on the front. He also wore faded blue jeans, white socks and a pair of size 12 and 1/2, blue and white Reebok runners.
• Fingerprints: Available
• DNA: Available
• AKA: The victim called himself "David"

Case History
The victim was located at the Canadian Pacific Railway crossing at 13th Avenue and Courtney Street, in Regina, Saskatchewan on July 28, 1995.
Police interviewed two CP rail employees who had just witnessed the young man come from the ditch on the south side of the tracks, when the engineer blew the horn, the man stepped back, clear of the tracks, he seemed to change his mind, then position himself in the path of an eastbound, four-locomotive train hauling 104 box cars. The crew was unable to stop the train, which was traveling approximately 65-70 kilometers per hour as it approached the crossing. The railway traffic control arm was down and the red warning lights were functioning. The victim was killed instantly by the impact.
He carried no personal identification and a search of a knapsack he'd had in his possession, revealed some clothing and personal items, but virtually nothing to help investigators determine his identity. In his pocket, there was a silver brooch, shaped like a rose, sometimes referred to as “The Christmas Rose”.
One of the best leads in this investigation was contact from a then-35 year-old man who believed he had been in the company of the unknown male for a few days. He described the two traveling together, hitchhiking on July 22nd from Strathmore, Alberta to Swift Current and then to Regina, arriving in the Queen City on July 24, 1995.
Mr. Randy Wakelin has agreed to allow the Regina Police Service to use his name. In a lengthy interview, Wakelin gave police insights into the habits, moods and mannerisms of “John Doe” and recalled bits of conversation between them. They learned that his manners were impeccable, his nails appeared manicured, he wore neatly cut hair, a close shave, was well dressed and well groomed.
And penchant, a strong inclination, for eating with a napkin across his knees probably put him in a social stratum above that of a drifter. He didn't know street slang, and barely knew how to thumb a ride. He enjoyed Stephen King novels and liked discussing politics. He constantly wrote in a diary, but the book was never found. He used a silver fountain pen; very unusual for a man of his age.
They believe he had recently broken up with a woman named Kathy and was probably on his way back east toward where he'd come from. He called himself "David" but Wakelin believes that was not his true name. In spite of Wakelin’s recollections, the follow-ups produced no new leads into John Doe’s true identity. Police believe he may have been from the Maritimes or New England.
John Doe is buried in the Southeast portion of Regina’s Riverside Cemetery. A rectangular granite headstone marks the grave, the gift of a woman now living in Turner Valley, Alberta.

Shirts, Rose and Grave of Victim

Investigators
If you have any information about this case please contact:
Regina Police Service Cold Case Unit
306-777-8649
OR
Crime Stoppers
306-545-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-222-8477

You may remain anonymous when submitting information.
Source Information:
Regina Police Service
The Brandon Sun - 12/9/05
CBC CA

Hi Tom,

It was actually the case of Kenley Matheson that got me into doing this thing that we do. We grew up in the same small town and went to the same high school. I wouldnt say I knew him well, but we had many common friends and acquaintances. I spent lots of time at Acadia University as well where he disappeared from. Wondering what happened to him has always drove me crazy.

Looking at the reconstruction of the John Doe compared to Kenley Matheson I do not see a striking resemblence but I realize this is only a reconstruction after the accident and wouldn't expect it to be spot on.

I would hope that they would have been compared at some point due to the similarities and time frame, but how would would we know or find out? There really is not much information out there on Kenley. Even the family page is not up and running any more.

but I thought the composite looked a lot like Daren Allen Kelley
http://doenetwork.us/cases/1428dmfl.html

Click to expand...

"David" can be ruled out as Daren Kelley. Kelly's skeletal remains were found on his property in January 2008 and identified in May 2008. Kelly's wife has been charged with murder

Hi everybody, I'm new here but have been following a local case for a while now. I am only now trying to get involved in finding out the identity of this man in some sort of way. Here's the information that is available.

The verse on the modest, granite headstone at Regina’s Riverside Cemetery reads, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened – Matt. 11:28”. The name inscribed on the face of the marker is “John Doe”. The manner of his passing from this life is known; he died on a railway track west of Regina on July 28, 1995. Ten years later, his identity eludes all who’ve tried to confirm it. Why he chose to end his life may never be known. At a time when the public is so aware of the issue of missing persons, it’s puzzling that there can be a “found” person, here in Regina, who must be missing from somewhere. Somewhere in this country or the U.S., is there a family wondering what’s become of their son or brother?

On Friday, July 28, 1995, at about 3:40 p.m., police were dispatched to the
Canadian Pacific Railway crossing at 13th Avenue and Courtney Street for a report of a fatality. Police interviewed two CP rail employees who had just witnessed a young man come from the ditch on the south side of the tracks and position himself in the path of an eastbound, four-locomotive train hauling 104 boxcars. The crew was unable to stop the train, which was traveling approximately 65-70 kilometres per hour as it approached the crossing. The railway traffic control arm was down and the red warning lights were functioning. The victim was killed instantly by the impact. The police investigation that followed left no doubt that the man’s death was a suicide, but police now faced a new challenge: who was this man?

Here is an official link with more information http://www.reginapolice.ca/john_doe/Backgrounder.pdf

and a link of the facial reconstruction picture, not graphic!
http://www.reginapolice.ca/john_doe/john_doe_large.jpg

If anybody has the time to help me find possible matches please post them! There was a topic started with only a few replies of possible matches. I have e-mailed them to the detective working on this case and he told me that it has been pursued with no success. I e-mailed him back asking if there was DNA and/or dentals available and have yet to hear from him. It took him about two weeks to reply to me the first time.

Thanks everybody, hope to hear from you.

The patch on the jacket might help in identifying this young man. It looks like a coat of arms of a country similar to this one:

Coat of Arms - Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Wow, thanks! I didn't even think of that, I wonder if the police did. I have a feeling this young man isn't from Canada because I have searched various missing persons in Canada websites and there are only a few missing men in the years 1993 and 1994 which is two years before this man who was supposedly a hitchiker died.

They interviewed a hitchiker who claimed to have hitched a ride from Alberta with him but I mean, he could have been lying. Who knows? The man said he talked about a girl named Kathy and didn't have the normal manners of a street person. Any other ideas?

On the Doe Network it says:

Case File 720UMSK

Police believe he may have been from the Maritimes or New England.

He constantly wrote in a diary, but the book was never found. He used a silver fountain pen; very unusual for a man of his age.

Wakelin gave police insights into the habits, moods and mannerisms of &#8220;John Doe&#8221; and recalled bits of conversation between them. They learned that his manners were impeccable, his nails appeared manicured, he wore neatly cut hair, a close shave, was well dressed and well groomed.
And penchant, a strong inclination, for eating with a napkin across his knees probably put him in a social stratum above that of a drifter.

He didn't know street slang, and barely knew how to thumb a ride.

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available

Hmmm, I wonder if the hitchiker who told the police in the interviews all of those things is telling the truth. It sounds like it, why would someone have reason to make that up?

I'm going to look at the Maritimes missing persons for the previous few years and New England, that's in the US right? I wonder what the Yugoslavian patch means though...

Tom, I e-mailed the cold case detective assigned to this case and that isn't the john doe. I started a new thread, I want to find out who this man was.

Danaya said:

Hmmm, I wonder if the hitchiker who told the police in the interviews all of those things is telling the truth. It sounds like it, why would someone have reason to make that up?

I'm going to look at the Maritimes missing persons for the previous few years and New England, that's in the US right? I wonder what the Yugoslavian patch means though...

Click to expand...

I was just thinking the patch might mean something political. I used Yugoslavia's coat of arms just as an example.

New England is in the US. It consists of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Could you enlarge the patch? I tried but it was not clear.

Actually, I'm pretty positive that's not on the jacket it's only a logo that the Regina Police put on there because that is their logo.

I searched Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut on doenetwork back until 1988 for missing men and nothing that meets the criteria, not a lot of missing men in those areas. I'm wondering if doenetwork has all the missing persons cases or if I should look around other databases.

Any other ideas?

I found this in another thread, I am e-mailing it to the cold case detective...
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/427dmns.html

Danaya said:

Actually, I'm pretty positive that's not on the jacket it's only a logo that the Regina Police put on there because that is their logo.

Any other ideas?

Click to expand...

The police said:

He was wearing a black denim button shirt with a gold
“crown” logo displayed on the left front pocket.


I'll give it some more thought.

Oh then maybe that's the logo in the picture. Ok,thanks.

Unfortunately, not many people seem to be interested or know anything about this case. I have e-mailed the lead detective on the case with a possible match. She is letting me know when she tests the DNA. I did get the match from websleuths so thanks in advance. I'll let you know when I find out.