FL FL - “Maritime John Doe", Wht, 65-75, maritime tattoo, Atlantic Ocean, Sep'03 - Donald H. Kirk

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Bodies recovered from water often show a weird blue/black coloring that starts at the head. Has something to do with how the decomposition process works in the water

apearn said:
Two things I'm wondering about: why is his lower clothing undone like that? why is his entire face discolored compared to the rest of his skin?

I know the blood pools after death but it's not uniform on him. He looks like maybe he was chocked or his chest was compressed at death.
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Stupid post alert... I KNOW this is not him because nothing is correct (the age, year, tattoo, etc.). But the red hair, the green eyes, that hairline, those lips, ears (sort of close), adjusted height, got to me so I felt I had to bring it. Sorry!

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4600DMAL - Randall Harold Whitfield

Name: Randall Harold Whitfield
Case Classification: Missing
Missing Since: December 08, 2001
Location Last Seen: Haleyville, Winston County, Alabama

Physical Description
Date of Birth: circa 1961
Age: 40 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 196 lbs.
Hair Color: Red or auburn
Eye Color: Green
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: He had a scar on his upper lip and had freckles.

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...cle_e1b7c817-73cd-5789-aec5-ba252dd3c2d0.html
 
apearn said:
Two things I'm wondering about: why is his lower clothing undone like that? why is his entire face discolored compared to the rest of his skin?

I know the blood pools after death but it's not uniform on him. He looks like maybe he was chocked or his chest was compressed at death.
Click to expand...


It's so weird you're asking that question because I've been reviewing the images and was thinking the same thing.

I remember seeing the Mostly Harmless images when his body was first discovered. LE take a lot of pictures in situ before the body is removed. In the case of this gentlemen LE would have to get him out of the water first. There likely would have been no value to taking pictures while he was still in the ocean.

I wanted to know about weed lines so I was looking them up. There are several different types of 'weeds' in the ocean and like @GatorFL mentioned they usually are the go to places to catch fish. So there are four different types of 'weeds'.

Here's an excerpt from the link:
https://myfwc.com/research/habitat/seagrasses/information/faq/

"There are seven seagrass species found in Florida. The most common are shoal grass (Halodule wrightii), manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) and turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum). Widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima), star grass (Halophila engelmannii) and paddle grass (Halophila decipiens) are less common. Johnson’s seagrass (Halophila johnsonii) is found only along Florida’s southeast coast and is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act."

Almost all of the grasses listed above are only in the Gulf of Mexico since the tides of the Atlantic wouldn't support them. On the Atlantic side the weed lines are usually sargassum, which doesn't look anything like the sea grass that was found inside the deceased's shirt. There is one exception regarding the seagrasses normal habitat and that is manatee grass. Manatee grass can grow in Florida Bay near the Keys. Check out this link:
What’s that weed on the beach? If it’s not sargassum, what is it?

During storms manatee grass has been found washed up on shore taken there by the Gulf Stream (see images in above link). There was Tropical Storm Henri in early September moving eastbound from the Gulf which could have deposited the grass in the Atlantic Ocean.

So about the pants being pulled down. I think it's possible that's how our JD was found. I was looking at some pics of fishermen that ply that part of the ocean. Here's a random image.

Is it possible that this man fell overboard wearing this type of rain pant? Maybe they were dragging him down so he was desperately trying to get them off. He may have got them down to where his pants and underwear were but couldn't manage to get them off and drowned. As he rolled in the surf and weed line they may have eventually come off his body. If that did happen, it begs the question, what boat was he on? Was he by himself, which I think based on his age, is pretty doubtful. If you go out for a day of fishing is there a place you go to sign up or can you just walk down to a marina and ask some random people if they want to take out a client? I have no idea how that would work, at least back in 2003 where a lot of people were still not computer savvy.

I am interested why LE are treating this as a homicide. Although a homicide doesn't necessarily mean murder it could mean reckless disregard for someone's safety and wellbeing which ended in death.
 

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branmuffin said:
After reviewing the images again, I think it's possible that LE removed the pants when they got him on the boat because they couldn't figure out what was wrapped around his torso.
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I agree with that but it seemed odd to me that they wouldn't at least cover his bum back up before taking photos.

It doesn't matter I guess. I was just pondering what he may have been doing before he expired.
 
apearn said:
I agree with that but it seemed odd to me that they wouldn't at least cover his bum back up before taking photos.

It doesn't matter I guess. I was just pondering what he may have been doing before he expired.
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It is hard seeing the indignities a dead body may go through when retrieving it, especially from the water. They probably have to use gaff hooks. I think it more likely he was fishing off a boat rather than a pier. It's clear the body was still in full rigor. The sea grass inside his shirt suggest he was rolling in the surf for a while. I havent checked the tides from that day but it would have been rough due to the tropical storm that was ramping up.
 
On September 7, 2003, the body of an elderly white man was found floating, face down, about five miles east of the Boynton Inlet, in Boynton Beach, Florida. He was estimated to be between 65 and 75 years old, was between 5 feet 7 inches and 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed between 160 and 176 pounds. He had red, brownish hair and hazel eyes. He had an old tattoo on his arm, possibly of an anchor. He was found wearing a white T-shirt, a white polo shirt with black and brown pin stripes, khaki pants and brown socks. Investigators could not find any signs of trauma to his body. He may have entered the water in Dade or Broward County. [29]
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ipa said:
It sure looks like it to me, and on the Sheriff's office (Palm Beach Sheriff doesn't mess around with sharing their evidence, just a warning if you haven't looked yet) photos, it also looks like it is.
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I'm not able to view photos at the link at all. Strange.
 
dotr said:
Yesterday i could not access the pm pics, but today they are visible..
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They really just have his rear end plastered on the internet unnecessarily. It certainly won't help ID him. I completely respect law enforcement's decision to show his face, clothing, tattoo and body but that part is a bit cringe worthy to me (MOO). Such an undignified way to be found. I hope he is identified and given a properly burial soon.
 
branmuffin said:
I'd really like to know why they are treating this death as a homicide.
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I'm curious about that too. His belt is undone, is that usually a sign of assault? However, considering the circumstances it would make perfect sense that he unbuckled it himself while in the water. I'm not seeing any jewelry. Is it possible he was mugged? Also, where is the blood coming from? And why doesn't he have visible nostrils?
 
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