The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) POST MORTEM WARNING!!
@apearn This is actually a potential Veteran Doe case. I'm going to share information which isn't listed on NamUs.
Identified! CA - San Diego, WhtMal, 40-60, distinctive tattoos, AKA "David Spurgeon", Aug '17 - NamUs removed
- Thread starter Grungster
- Start date
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) POST MORTEM WARNING!!
@apearn This is actually a potential Veteran Doe case. I'm going to share information which isn't listed on NamUs.
I have the autopsy report, which like I said before I cannot link because of my computer. However, I'll share everything that the report indicates.
So basically, this man was homeless. His friend, let's call her Ann, let him sleep inside her car if the weather was bad. She said that his name was "David Charles Spurgeon" and that he was born in Logansport, Indiana on October 10, 1970. He had claimed to be a US Marine and reportedly had a plot at Arlington Cemetery. He said that he had no family; his parents were deceased and he had been in an accident in which a drunk driver hit his family van, killing his wife and children. He arrived in San Diego in July of 2014 to seek help from the Veteran Affairs office but he said that his stuff was stolen and he had no ID.
When it comes to his death, he had been using meth just before his death, causing heart disease symptoms. The manner of death is listed as an accident.
So basically, this man was homeless. His friend, let's call her Ann, let him sleep inside her car if the weather was bad. She said that his name was "David Charles Spurgeon" and that he was born in Logansport, Indiana on October 10, 1970. He had claimed to be a US Marine and reportedly had a plot at Arlington Cemetery. He said that he had no family; his parents were deceased and he had been in an accident in which a drunk driver hit his family van, killing his wife and children. He arrived in San Diego in July of 2014 to seek help from the Veteran Affairs office but he said that his stuff was stolen and he had no ID.
When it comes to his death, he had been using meth just before his death, causing heart disease symptoms. The manner of death is listed as an accident.
apearn
Paratrooper John Doe, May 1984, Florida #UP1254
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I made a graphic and posted it with some info and the ME's name to contact. I used hashtags for the Cass County area so we'll see if anyone recognized his description. There is someone named Chad Spurgeon that looked interesting in the yearbooks of that home town but I'm not sure
I saw your FB post, you should edit it and mention the tragic accident he reported being in. That will help.
apearn
Paratrooper John Doe, May 1984, Florida #UP1254
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I left that out because of the meth issue. I was thinking that if he was using drugs he may have just said they died so he could talk about them without people realizing he left them or was thrown out because of the drugs.
There seems to be enough people with that last name in that area so I'm hoping FB or IG will produce someone who knows something.
GatorFL
Well-Known Member
I don't have a lot to add other than I think the Arlington claim is likely BS. While the rules change periodically, even in 2017 nobody had a plot at Arlington while they were alive. IIRC the rules then were that you either had to die while on Active Duty, had to be a Combat Veteran, had 20+ years of service, or been awarded a Silver Star or better. Plots awarded on a first-come basis. So that part of the story sounds like ideal chatter. These rules were further amended in 2020 to be even more strict. Also if he was a Vet I think fingerprints would ID him.
I agree too
apearn
Paratrooper John Doe, May 1984, Florida #UP1254
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I did a Google search on Arlington and found that the above ground interments are less strict so maybe that was a possibility.
"Eligibility for in-ground burial at Arlington National Cemetery is the most stringent of all U.S. national cemeteries. However, most veterans who have at least one day of active service (other than for training) and an honorable discharge are eligible for above-ground inurnment."
Some details seem off with the eyewitness story (or the story they were told) though because with the name and DOB the ME could have had his info/prints checked with the USMC.
Someone in the scenario is familiar with that little town and that last name though. There are only 18k people who live there and a bunch have that somewhat unusual last name. It's a curious story for sure.
GatorFL
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If he was ex-MIL at his estimated age he would have had fingerprints on file. IDK if they ran prints, I did not see anything about that but I am assuming they did.
Bit of hope
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I don't know who posted it in the past...a lot of military records were lost due to a big fire....but that was in 1973.
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GatorFL
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Yes, he was young enough to have bypassed that. I doubt he's ex-MIL. JMO of course.
Bit of hope
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Why do you think this is a relative and not this John Doe?
I guess because of the A and not the C
Bit of hope
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Ok, my bad...missed that. But I noticed that lots of people in US can take many names, use different names, what ever....
Maybe he used the name Charles instead of A, for example Adams, so if he got arrested or something, the police wouldn’t think he had stolen someone’s ID
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I guess LE checked the leads in the story and came up empty handed, ID could not be confirmed, neither location.
From the Namus file
To date, any leads the friend gave as to his identity has not yielded a positive ID or location of NOK.
What is NOK? No one Knows?
IMO his whole story is made up. Where and when was this accident? Why did he arrive in 2014 in San Diego to ask help from Veteran affairs. Does this mean he was in California all along and this was the central/main V.A. bureau? It sounds kind of strange.
In the Namus file is stated that he was waiting in front of a restaurant en collapsed. We know now he was on meth. I'm not a specialist and have no experience with meth, but his face doesn't look like he was a regular meth user. Does meth make you hungry...sounds a stupid question, but I can't see somebody who just used meth going to a restaurant sitting on a table. (friend went inside to make a reservation for a table) I can't imagine Yummy Buffet is a fancy restaurant, but still. Thoughts?
It's a sad case. I think the friend wanted to help him and buy him some food. I wonder how she feels now loosing a friend, but also knowing now that he probably made the whole story up.
From the Namus file
To date, any leads the friend gave as to his identity has not yielded a positive ID or location of NOK.
What is NOK? No one Knows?
IMO his whole story is made up. Where and when was this accident? Why did he arrive in 2014 in San Diego to ask help from Veteran affairs. Does this mean he was in California all along and this was the central/main V.A. bureau? It sounds kind of strange.
In the Namus file is stated that he was waiting in front of a restaurant en collapsed. We know now he was on meth. I'm not a specialist and have no experience with meth, but his face doesn't look like he was a regular meth user. Does meth make you hungry...sounds a stupid question, but I can't see somebody who just used meth going to a restaurant sitting on a table. (friend went inside to make a reservation for a table) I can't imagine Yummy Buffet is a fancy restaurant, but still. Thoughts?
It's a sad case. I think the friend wanted to help him and buy him some food. I wonder how she feels now loosing a friend, but also knowing now that he probably made the whole story up.
NOK means next of kin, relatives. I do agree with what your saying.
GatorFL
Well-Known Member
Regarding the meth, I think it depends on method of use. A meth smoker has a lot different appearance than a meth snorter.
I worked with a guy who died. Turned out he was a long time meth user. He was fairly heavy set and tall. He'd have this weird thing where his eyes would get bloodshot and he would get thirsty. I innocently thought he was pre-diabetic or had developed type 2 diabetes. He went home after work one night, snorted some meth and died on his couch. The drug use came out when we met his family.
Anyway, I imagine David's medical episode to be similar. He snorted some meth and had a massive heart attack seconds later.