Identified! MN - Rosemount, WhtMale 30-50, UP12996, knife sheath w/DHT, Wilson's motorcycle jacket, Sep'14 - James Everett

OkieGranny

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http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_26779717/rosemount-body-still-not-identified

Authorities have made no progress in identifying the body found last month in a railroad utility shed in Rosemount... located near railroad tracks at 146th Street and Burnley Avenue West. Papers at the scene suggest he had been dead since about October or November 2013...

The medical examiner's office this week released more details about the man's physical description, saying he was white, 30 to 50 years old, 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 11 inches tall, with long brown and gray hair.

They also say he had a leather knife sheath carved with the initials "DHT" and that forensics analysis indicated he had an old nasal fracture and moderate osteoarthritis.

http://hometownsource.com/2014/10/0...p-in-identifying-man-found-dead-in-rosemount/

The man wore eyeglasses and a small hoop earring in his left ear. He was wearing Wrangler boot cut jeans, a Chaps brand button down shirt, and Wilson’s Leather Open Road motorcycle jacket.

NamUs: https://identifyus.org/en/cases/12996
 
Namus does not list any shoes but says
Deceased was wearing multiple layers of clothing consistent with the susepcted last known alive dates in October-December 2013.

Jacket: Wilson's Leather brand, Open Road style motocycle jacket, no size
Shirt: Chaps brand, size XXL, long sleeve blue and white striped button down with pinpoint collar
T-shirt: Fruit of the Loom, size XL, grey
Pants: Wrangler brand boot cut jeans, size 42x30, black
Belt: black leather with a metal buckle, 49 inches
Underwear: Indera brand, size XL, thermal underwear with grey boxers
Socks: (2 pair) grey with green trim and blue
Gloves: Thinsulate

The interior of the socks were lined with Poineer Press newspaper fragments dated October 19 - October 25, 2013.

I know ages ago people used to wear animal skin shoes lined with grass as insulation so it appears this was an attempt to stay warm and possibly broke into the shed for shelter, but where were his shoes? Maybe they were nice boots and someone stole them? I would think the jacket and the knife would be stolen too. The clothing doesn't scream homeless to me. Also no wallet or cell phone? Maybe he was homeless after all? Very suspicious.
 
White male between the ages of 30 and 50 found in MN.

Height: 66" estimated

Hair: Wavy, long brown with gray

Piercings: Left ear piercing with small hoop earing

Clothing: Wilson's Leather Open Road style motocycle jacket, Chap's brandsize XXL long sleeve blue and white striped button down shirt with pinpoint collar, size XL Fruit of the Loom grey t-shirt, black Wrangler brand boot cut jeans size 42x30, Eyeglasses

Circumstances: The decedent was living in an decommisioned railroad switching shed behind the American Legion. Contents of the shed were limited to a makeshift bed and a few personal effects. Papers inside of the shed place the suspected time of death between October-December 2013.

Notes:
  • The deceased may have frequented a nearby Kwik Trip convienence store at 14810 Robert Trail South.
  • A knife was found with the body. The knife sheath has multiple engravings, most notably "DHT" below the snap.
  • The interior of the socks were lined with Poineer Press newspaper fragments dated October 19 - October 25, 2013.

NamUs: https://identifyus.org/en/cases/12996

Dental available. DNA available. Prints not available.

Images of knife sheath, motorcycle jacket, and google map picture of location. More pics available on NamUs page.
Knife_sheath.jpgWilson_Leather_jacket__front_.jpgMap_of_Shed.jpg
 
This is definitely a major long shot, but what do you guys think about this maybe being David Thies, missing from New York in '82?

Thies:
  • 19 yo when missing, would be 51 today
  • long, wavy brown hair
  • left ear pierced
  • height: 71"
  • initials are "DT" (unsure of middle initial)


UID:
  • estimated between 30-50 yo
  • long, wavy brown hair with grey
  • left ear pierced
  • height: 66" (estimated)
  • found with knife engraved with "DHT"

Thies has no identifying info on file which would account for no match being made in NamUs. I really can't imagine how a 19yo from NYC would end up homeless in a railroad shed in MN, but I guess stranger things have happened.

CP: http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/t/thies_david.html
NM: https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/10391/63
 
Remarkable similarities. I'm too inexperienced to offer advice, but I'm certain others will chime in. Meanwhile, I'm searching to see if we can learn DT's middle name.
 
I found this excerpt from an article in NY Magazine in '97. It has some more info about DT. Seems that his disappearance is such a mystery, anything is possible..

Screen Shot 2015-02-03 at 12.30.52 PM.jpg

Edit: According to this, his mother's name is "Karin DiGia." In searching for that name in NY, it appears there was a Karin and Ralph DiGia who were activists. In fact, I found an article that says "Karin DiGia transformed Children in Crisis — a nonprofit group she had founded in the ’70s to address the issue of missing children — into a Bosnian relief agency." So, did his mother create a nonprofit for missing children before her son went missing? That's wild.

Still, I'm not sure if this Karin DiGia is the same as the one listed in the NY article about DT. I would think that if some relatively well-known people had a missing son, there would be more news articles available. I find almost nothing online! Especially if she founded a nonprofit for missing kids - you'd think there would be a lot more info on this. In an obit online for Ralph DiGia they mention that he is "survived by" a son named David. Could all be a coincidence, too.
 
WOW. Sorry, I don't mean to keep posting but this is completely fascinating. Should I make a thread for DT somewhere and post there instead? Sorry, I'm very new to this. :doh:

Anyway, that bit I posted from the NY Magazine says he went missing on his father's birthday and he is listed as having gone missing on December 13th. Well, the Ralph DiGia I linked to above was born on December 13th. Since his wife's name is Karin, I think it is pretty safe to say that David Thies was the son of Karin DiGia and step-son of Ralph DiGia, who was apparently pretty famous.

So, DT's stepfather is a well-known activist, his mother owned a nonprofit for missing children, yet there is ZERO news coverage about his disappearance? Freaky.
 
I found this excerpt from an article in NY Magazine in '97. It has some more info about DT. Seems that his disappearance is such a mystery, anything is possible..

View attachment 68681

Edit: According to this, his mother's name is "Karin DiGia." In searching for that name in NY, it appears there was a Karin and Ralph DiGia who were activists. In fact, I found an article that says "Karin DiGia transformed Children in Crisis — a nonprofit group she had founded in the ’70s to address the issue of missing children — into a Bosnian relief agency." So, did his mother create a nonprofit for missing children before her son went missing? That's wild.

Still, I'm not sure if this Karin DiGia is the same as the one listed in the NY article about DT. I would think that if some relatively well-known people had a missing son, there would be more news articles available. I find almost nothing online! Especially if she founded a nonprofit for missing kids - you'd think there would be a lot more info on this. In an obit online for Ralph DiGia they mention that he is "survived by" a son named David. Could all be a coincidence, too.

BBM. I see we have been reading the same pages. :) I was amazed when I read she had started the foundation prior to her son's disappearance, and then read other articles/bios which stated it was founded in the 90s.

Also, along with being survived by David it appears that "his whole family was with him at the time of his death."

And, fwiw, in the article you link, Karin DiGia says something about her son disappearing just before his father's birthday. Ralph's DOB matches the date of David's disappearance.

ETA: By the time I'd looked up the DOB to confirm what I was going to post, you already posted it.
 
:bump:

Hoping others will offer opinions of this UID and MP David Thies possibly matching.
 
WOW. Sorry, I don't mean to keep posting but this is completely fascinating. Should I make a thread for DT somewhere and post there instead? Sorry, I'm very new to this. :doh:

Anyway, that bit I posted from the NY Magazine says he went missing on his father's birthday and he is listed as having gone missing on December 13th. Well, the Ralph DiGia I linked to above was born on December 13th. Since his wife's name is Karin, I think it is pretty safe to say that David Thies was the son of Karin DiGia and step-son of Ralph DiGia, who was apparently pretty famous.

So, DT's stepfather is a well-known activist, his mother owned a nonprofit for missing children, yet there is ZERO news coverage about his disappearance? Freaky.

You are doing GREAT! Off to finish the thread. :)
 
luckyseven, are you going to submit this as a potential match? Personally, I think it's worthwhile.
 
I sent an email a while ago to no avail. I'll try a different contact and send out an email today. I'll keep you guys updated.
 
Hey all - I got a call today from a really kind gentleman at NYS VICAP who told me that he has gotten in touch with investigators in MN regarding the possible connection. He said there are a lot of hurdles in finding old paperwork, possible DNA, etc. but that the ball is rolling and he will update me if he is able to find more out.
 
My fingers are crossed for a resolution! Some great work done by you!
 
Hey all - I got a call today from a really kind gentleman at NYS VICAP who told me that he has gotten in touch with investigators in MN regarding the possible connection. He said there are a lot of hurdles in finding old paperwork, possible DNA, etc. but that the ball is rolling and he will update me if he is able to find more out.

Is five weeks too soon for me to start whining? No idea on how long it may take?
 
Thats good news! Hoping for some progress!
 

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