GA GA - Atlanta, BlkMale UP692, 18-25, set afire, died at hospital, Apr'96

[Jake479]

doenetwork.org/cases/457umga.html
identifyus.org/en/cases/692

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

He was a black male, with two piercings in his left ear. "Was noted to be on fire in vacant lot. Was taken to [Grady] hospital and died about 24 hours later."

6'2", 235 lbs. Black hair and brown eyes. Estimated to be 18-25 years old. He had a muscular build, a light complexion, and a gap between his two front teeth. He had no scars, facial hair, or tattoos. DNA is available, as are fingerprints. Per articles I found in the Atlanta Constitution, he told bystanders that someone through kerosene on him from behind in a robbery attempt, but police were unable to interview him before he passed.

1996 Atlanta BlkMale UID - Newspapers.com
ATL BlkMale 1996 - Newspapers.com

 

[b741ma]

I'm surprised this case doesn't have more attention. I'm instantly fascinated by this case. Who was this man? And why did someone set him on fire?

The only missing person even somewhat close is Hoover Jerome Morris - MP29647

Pros of this being Hoover Morris
Age: The deceased is estimated to have been in between the years of 18 and 25. Jerome was 18 when he went missing and would've turned 19 by April.
Height: The deceased was 6'2". Hoover is recorded as being 6'1"
Weight: The deceased was 235. Hoover was 220
Build: The deceased was described as muscular. Hoover was a star high school football player
Looks: In some pictures Hoover looks to have a similar face structure to the decadent.
Distance: Initially I doubted it could be Hoover because I thought he disappeared to far away from Atlanta. However I found out that Heflin, Alabama the city where Hoover disappeared from is only an hour drive away from Atlanta. So this might be him.
Cons of this being Hoover Morris

• The decadent had a gap between his two front teeth. The charley project has one photo of Hoover showing his teeth and I don't see a gap. I'm not sure if it's possible one could've formed in the 5 months inbetween.
• The decadent had two piercings in his left ear. I can't find any record of Hoover ever having a piercing.
• There's a 5 month gap between when Hoover went missing and when the decadent was found. Now it's possible Hoover might've run away but it seems unlikely. Yes according to Hoover's sister he was involved with drugs at the time of his disappearance. But he was a star high school football player with dreams of attending the University of Alabama and playing for the New York Jets. He had the whole world ahead of him. I don't see why he would want to run away. In order for Hoover to be the decadent he would've had to have run away from his promising future and spent 5 months roaming around not contacting his family before ending up in Atlanta where someone set him on fire. There would have to be a reason form him to do a thing like that. And I don't think his drug involvement was severe enough to warrant that.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

It's only a theory. Nothing more.

 

[MarziPanda]

Poor guy. One of the worst ways to go.

I think Hoover Morris is worth submitting just in case, if only to rule him out.

 

[MadMcGoo]

He’s a big Ol’ boy, muscular, no scars or tattoos, light-skinned and has a gap between his two front teeth. That’s a pretty good start, hoping he’s been reported missing. Poor guy. Someone knows who he is!

 

[MadMcGoo]

I’m sure he has been ruled out, but imagine if this was Desmond. I know he doesn’t fit the physical description, but he’s got to be out there somewhere. Poor kid.


GA - GA - Desmond Santonio Dix, 17, Atlanta, 31 Jan 1996

 

[Bit of hope]

A stretch.......Raymond Raymond Lamar Green Jr. – The Charley Project would have been 18 in 1996.

 

[Bit of hope]

I have gone through Black and Missing foundation, checking all the missing males in all the states listed. Black and Missing Foundation :: Partnership with TV One, Find Our Missing and Michael Baisden

There are not many persons listed who are missing before the date this UID was found. The once who are have scars, tattoos, are to young or to old, etc. I couldn't find a match....but

Maybe...Black and Missing Foundation :: Partnership with TV One, Find Our Missing and Michael Baisden
stats don't fit that much....Height: 5-8, Weight: 190, missing since 1989, 20 years at the time....would have been 27 yrs. I think his facial features somehow looks like the recon.
Donald Lewis Johnson – The Charley Project

 

[MadMcGoo]

A stretch.......Raymond Raymond Lamar Green Jr. – The Charley Project would have been 18 in 1996.

I actually like this one. It is a stretch, but his age progression recon looks a lot like our UID. And he has the gap between his teeth looks like. There is DNA available for Raymond (I think his mother submitted it), so that’s a good sign, as our UID shows to have it available as well.

Donald looks somewhat like him, but his size rules him out for me. It was the same thing with Desmond...they’re pretty short compared to our UID. ETA: Charley Project has Donald’s height at 5’10”...so not as far off as I thought) But you may as well submit both just to let someone know there’s interest in the cases. And get official rule in or outs.

Good finds!

 

[MadMcGoo]

I don’t think it would hurt submitting Hoover either. Who knows how large the gap in his teeth is. We’ll never know til we know!

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

I actually like this one. It is a stretch, but his age progression recon looks a lot like our UID. And he has the gap between his teeth looks like. There is DNA available for Raymond (I think his mother submitted it), so that’s a good sign, as our UID shows to have it available as well.

Donald looks somewhat like him, but his size rules him out for me. It was the same thing with Desmond...they’re pretty short compared to our UID. ETA: Charley Project has Donald’s height at 5’10”...so not as far off as I thought) But you may as well submit both just to let someone know there’s interest in the cases. And get official rule in or outs.

Good finds!

Yes, Raymond's mother Donna has actively pursued him for years and is very active in the missing community. They definitely have DNA on file for him, so he should have matched if it were him

 

[Natasha Mullins]

Alright, three suggestions ranked most to least likely (imo ofc):
1. Branville Bernard Rolle
He is out of the weight range but went missing miles from Atlanta a month before the UID was found. He was apparently out with a friend and didn't come back. He had a scar but it was a burn scar so that could have blended in if he was re-burned. Right height, right timeline, potentially right circumstances. I really like this one.
Branville Bernard Rolle – The Charley Project

2. Barry Maurice Aiken
He was definitely out of the weight range, but he had apparently wanted to move to Atlanta on multiple occasions before he disappeared. I thought there were no images of him but the people on the WS thread are wonderful:
NC - NC - Barry Maurice Aiken, 21, Wilmington, 24 February 1993

3. Monterrio Holder
Out of weight range again but correct height and physical description. He was athletic, had a pierced left ear, and a medium complexion. However, his car was found abandoned in Indiana which is very far away from Atlanta.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

As others have said someone knows this guy. That's always what bothers me with these cases, especially unique ones like this. I'm surprised this case isn't better known because of how strange and awful his death was. I came across it at random hitting the random page button on the unidentified wiki and was amazed by how unique it was. What an awful death.

 

[Lacus Perseverantiae]

Alright, three suggestions ranked most to least likely (imo ofc):
1. Branville Bernard Rolle
He is out of the weight range but went missing miles from Atlanta a month before the UID was found. He was apparently out with a friend and didn't come back. He had a scar but it was a burn scar so that could have blended in if he was re-burned. Right height, right timeline, potentially right circumstances. I really like this one.
Branville Bernard Rolle – The Charley Project

2. Barry Maurice Aiken
He was definitely out of the weight range, but he had apparently wanted to move to Atlanta on multiple occasions before he disappeared. I thought there were no images of him but the people on the WS thread are wonderful:
NC - NC - Barry Maurice Aiken, 21, Wilmington, 24 February 1993

3. Monterrio Holder
Out of weight range again but correct height and physical description. He was athletic, had a pierced left ear, and a medium complexion. However, his car was found abandoned in Indiana which is very far away from Atlanta.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

As others have said someone knows this guy. That's always what bothers me with these cases, especially unique ones like this. I'm surprised this case isn't better known because of how strange and awful his death was. I came across it at random hitting the random page button on the unidentified wiki and was amazed by how unique it was. What an awful death.

I remember this UID. Truly awful, and it really gets to me.

I hope you submit the matches. Branville ("Chaba") seems to be a pretty good possibility in particular. Not a lot of info for him, but better than some....

Height and especially weight can almost be wildcards unless there's a recorded and timely measurement. (I've been estimated both taller and lighter weightwise in the same observation.) Even with a measurement as baseline, there can be inaccuracies. Not saying it is your situation, but I wouldn't let weight differences prevent submitting a potential match.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Yes, I think all the matches are worth submitting. We just never know.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

https://www.facebook.com/100068121797204/posts/727589932855060