UK UK - Hampshire, WhtMale, 30-60, in barn, Crime book & Atlas, Dec'17

[Al Ka]

Published: 16 May
Police release reconstruction picture of man whose body was found in a barn

(click on image to enlarge)

Detectives have released a facial reconstruction image of a man whose body was found in a farm building where it had lain undiscovered for at least a year.

The body was found in the disused barn off Bazeley Copse Lane, Micheldever, Hampshire, on December 1, 2017, by police carrying out inquiries into an unrelated burglary.

As well as the human remains, the officers found items including a sleeping bag, a rucksack, a Sony Walkman, a Martina Cole novel and a Winchester street atlas.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: ‘We believe the remains had been in the barn for at least a year.
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‘Despite extensive forensic and DNA examinations, detectives have been unable to identify this man, and we are now appealing for help from the public.’
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The man is described as white, aged between his 30s and 60s, about 5ft 6in tall, with short fair brown hair and he had a narrow face with an overbite.
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‘We believe that the man had been sleeping rough in the barn, and was possibly following the railway line to walk to or from Winchester.

‘We have a DNA profile of the man, but we have had no matches for other missing people in the UK, where DNA is available.’ The force spokesman said that a post mortem was unable to find a cause of death and there were no signs that the man had been attacked or restrained.

(additional photos in the link)
Police release reconstruction picture of man whose body was found in a barn | Metro News

 

[Al Ka]

New Appeal by Hampshire Police on their official FB page:

Please take a look at this image. Does it remind you of someone you once knew?

We have released the image as part of our enquiries to identify a man whose remains were found in disused barn in Micheldever in December 2017.

Officers were searching the building as part of an unrelated incident. As well as the remains, they found items such as a sleeping bag, a Winchester street atlas and various pieces of clothing.

A post mortem showed no sign of assault or restraint, and the death is being treated as non-suspicious. It is thought the body had been in the barn for at least a year before being discovered.

We have followed various lines of enquiry to find out who this man is, including DNA testing, fingerprint analysis on items founds in the barn, dental examinations and checking people reported missing in Hampshire and other force areas.

So far, the man has not been identified.

Following various scientific tests, we believe the man was white, middle aged or older, around 5ft 6ins tall, short, fair brown hair and that he had a narrow face with an overbite.

We have now released this facial reconstruction image, produced by experts at the University of Dundee.

We’ve also released images of some of the items that were found in the barn, including the street atlas that contained some handwriting.

Detective Constable Clare Hughes said: “Our priority is to identify this man, make contact with those who knew him and give them some degree of closure.

“We believe that the man had been sleeping rough in the barn, and was possibly following the railway line to walk to or from Winchester.

“We have a DNA profile of the man, but we have had no matches for other missing people in the UK, where DNA is available.

“Someone must know this man. Perhaps you recognise the face? Is the clothing familiar? Does it remind you of someone you have not seen for some time?

“I am urging people to have a good look at the images and the information we have and tell us if you think you can help our investigation.”

Anyone with information should call us on 101, quoting the reference number 44170467777.

(additional photos in the link)
Hampshire Constabulary

PS: check comments under their main FB post but also under each photo

 

[Al Ka]

It is not specified what was the name of the novel found with this John Doe but Martina Cole is British crime writer of Irish origin and has released twenty-two novels about crime, most of which examine London's gangster underworld. Most of her novels feature the Irish community in and around London.

I find those details quite interesting and make me more intrigued about our John Doe.

Martina Cole - Wikipedia
Martina Cole

Written by hand on street map was "Waterloo (in London) to Winchester", so that seems to be 2nd hint (after the novel) that he might have some ties to London.

Street Atlas of Winchester - there is some reason he had or was planning to travel there - sightseeing, work, or someone he might know?

Other detail - He had in his possesion Sony Walkman. I don't know anyone anymore who still have one, let's alone still listen to one.

Due to glasses, which appear to be for reading, my own assumption is he might be somewhat older male.

 

[Pinkizzy]

• It looks like a recently released prisoner who starved to death. Ive read that Martina Cole and James Patterson books are popular in prison

 

[Bit of hope]

I wonder if they did a international check. Or this person is not filed as a missing person, or he is from abroad. Maybe it was somebody wanting to find his "roots"?

Considering the things he read and wrote he is probably from an English speaking origin.

 

[Bit of hope]

Bas Rossum, missing since 15-1-2017.

Bas Rossen

 

[Legally Bland]

Not sure how this is helpful, but "WATERLOO" and "WINCHESTER" look like they've been written by 2 different people.

 

[spangled]

I would assume Waterloo would mean Waterloo train station.

 

[Pinny]

My first thought was recently released prisoner too for some reason. That looks like a fare next to Winchester, I wonder if the price may help narrow down how long he has been there.
To find that information he must either have visited a train station and one of the staff has written that for him in which case someone may remember him or he's had access to a phone or computer at some point. The writing does look like two different sets of writing.
I'm also wondering if the Martina Cole book was a library book .

 

[Legally Bland]

Released prisoner is a good shout and could explain the walkman (I'm assuming it's a cassette player rather than digital). But wouldn't his DNA be in the national database?

 

[dotr]

Hesitated to suggest AG because a match was not found in the dna registry, but found it interesting that others on LE fb also thought the uid resembled Andrew Gosden.
UK - UK - Andrew Gosden, 14, Doncaster, South Yorks, 14 Sept 2007

 

[Pinkizzy]

The unknown man was aged 30 - 60

 

[spangled]

Also, I wouldn't read too much (no pun intended) into Martina Cole, I have read a lot of her books, they're popular, exciting reads and easy to find second hand in charity shops. It could have even been left on a bench.

There is a men's prison in Winchester.

 

[Tabirey]

Bas Rossum, missing since 15-1-2017.

Bas Rossen

Oh wow! I would definitely submit this. I wonder if Bas wore glasses?

 

[Tabirey]

Hesitated to suggest AG because a match was not found in the dna registry, but found it interesting that others on LE fb also thought the uid resembled Andrew Gosden.
UK - UK - Andrew Gosden, 14, Doncaster, South Yorks, 14 Sept 2007

According to a comment on this post, DNA was not a match:
Larry Humphreys

 

[Al Ka]

I have found another article with a bit more details about John Doe possessions:

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Police seeking help to solve cold case after remains found in barn

We are now in a position to release a facial reconstruction image that has been produced by Dr Christopher Rynn at the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee.

Detectives have also released images of the clothing the man was wearing, and items that were found in the barn in Micheldever.

Items include a black Karrimor backpack, a Blacks olive green sleeping bag, yellow protective gloves, a Sony Walkman, a Winchester street atlas and the Martina Cole novel, Close.

Clothing included a pair of pale Fruit of the Loom tracksuit bottoms, a navy blue zipped Outdoor Scene fleece jacket, dark coloured black woolly hat, size 10 Wellington boots, and a pale Marks and Spencer long-sleeved shirt.
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Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting 44170467777.

Police seeking help to solve cold case after remains found in barn

 

[Al Ka]

He is NOT listed in UK unidentified database, hmm

UK Missing Persons Unit

 

[Keine Engel]

Released prisoner is a good shout and could explain the walkman (I'm assuming it's a cassette player rather than digital). * But wouldn't his DNA be in the national database?*

Is there a pic of it?
I've got a 'SONY WALKMAN' which plays CD/mp3/ATRAC3 so not necessarily the classic (casette) WALKMAN.
(I think Sony use it as a brand name for all 'portable' products?)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00008IM84/ref=psdcmw_465608_t3_B00008W7LI

*I think he'd definitely have his DNA in the National database if he'd spent any time in any U.K. prison

 

[Keine Engel]

Clothing included a pair of pale Fruit of the Loom tracksuit bottoms, a navy blue zipped Outdoor Scene fleece jacket, dark coloured black woolly hat, size 10 Wellington boots, and a pale Marks and Spencer long-sleeved shirt.
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Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting 44170467777.

Police seeking help to solve cold case after remains found in barn

Do M&S have stores abroad?
Otherwise looking at the pics I'm thinking 'contractor' type work (labourer/builder)
Fleece jacket/hat, wellies but particularly these gloves:

Was there any big 'construction' projects around Winchester around time estimated?
Does £27.20 seem like cost of some form of travel ticket? Possibly return?
London》Winchester?

Original here: https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/resources/images/9857718/?type=responsive-gallery-fullscreen

 

[Pinkizzy]

It costs around £38 to travel from Waterloo to Winchester now (train)