Identified! MT - Marion, WhtMale 18-49, UP13963, MJ Pipe, Pistol, Poker Game, Oct'03 - Steven Edward Gooch

Romulus · Mar 31, 2017

Namus UP 13963

https://www.identifyus.org/en/cases/13963

Unidentified Body/Remains (Unknown Sex & Race)

Found August 9, 2014 in Flathead County, MT
Body Condition: Not recognizable - partial skeletal parts only
Probable year of death: to

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: Unknown Age
Approximate Height: cannot estimate
Approximate Weight: cannot estimate
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Scars and marks: nothing

Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: nothing
Jewerly: nothing
Footwear: nothing
Accessories: nothing

Identifiers
Fingerprints: Fingerprint information is not available
Dentals: Dental information / charting is available and will be entered later
DNA: Sample submitted - tests complete

Case History
Unknown remains found

WyomingSkyAngel · Mar 31, 2017

FWIW the Hungry Horse area near Kalispell is really popular with armed services veterans wanting to "rough it" in the woods before they try to get back to living in US society. The remains might be a veteran who met with misfortune or suicide. Also there are some Canadians who live part-time in the Kalispell area.

Romulus · Jun 1, 2017

From crimewatchers site forum

carbuff · Jun 1, 2017

WyomingSkyAngel said:
FWIW the Hungry Horse area near Kalispell is really popular with armed services veterans wanting to "rough it" in the woods before they try to get back to living in US society. The remains might be a veteran who met with misfortune or suicide. Also there are some Canadians who live part-time in the Kalispell area.

Where do you see that the remains were in the Hungry Horse area? That's quite a distance from Kalispell--and Montana has the concept of "city limits." It would be unusual for them to say the remains were found in Kalispell if they were found out in the county somewhere. I'm not saying it's impossible, I just didn't find it in the file.

The most likely person based on time frame is Nicky Waller (http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/w/waller_nicole.html), but since her boyfriend is being tried for her murder, I think they would have checked that first.

Viola McGrew (http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/mcgrew_viola.html) disappeared in 2001.

There are some other long term missing from Flathead County, and of course the person could be from somewhere else.

theshadow45 · Sep 30, 2017

Two that I can think of right off: Robyn Pettinato http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/pettinato_robyn.html has been missing from nearby Whitefish, MT since 1975 and Nancy Kirkpatrick http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/kirkpatrick_nancy.html from Columbia Falls, MT since 1976.

leilarose68 · Feb 17, 2019

According to the pinned post, this John Doe is an upcoming DDP case!

Mrs. Badcrumble · Feb 17, 2019

John Doe was found October 2003, not August 2014, though.. Same NamUs ID number, but some of the information differ (but to be fair, this could have been added or edited later).
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Nancy Drew RN · Mar 4, 2019

This is strange. The NamUs file for the opening post is definitely 2003, not 2014. In any case, per the latest DNA Doe Project update, Marion John Doe 2003 has passed QC and is ready for sequencing.

carbuff · Mar 5, 2019

Nancy Drew RN said:
This is strange. The NamUs file for the opening post is definitely 2003, not 2014. In any case, per the latest DNA Doe Project update, Marion John Doe 2003 has passed QC and is ready for sequencing.

There always have been major discrepancies in this case file--see my post above which refers to a no-longer-extant version that said the remains were found in Kalispell and made no mention of Marion.

If I recall correctly, there were remains found in Kalispell in 2014, but they were determined to be historic. Maybe there was some confustion between the two cases during data entry?

In any case, I'm really glad DDP is going to try to identify him!

Gardener1850 · Apr 18, 2019

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP13963
ME/C Case Number 2003-24911

Male, White / Caucasian
Date FoundOctober 26, 2003
Location Found Marion, Montana
Estimated Age Range 18-49 Years

Estimated Year of Death: 1995-2003

Height 5' 5"-6' 0"(65-72 inches) , Estimated
Weight Cannot Estimate

Accessories
Water bottle, marijuana pipe, hand held electronic poker game, sunglasses, Aleve bottle, duffel bag, fanny pack, butterfly knife, .22 caliber Smith & Wesson 422 pistol with "Uncle Mike's Sidekick" black nylon gun holster
Near the Body

Footwear
Adidas tennis shoes - Size 11
On the Body

Location Found Map
Street Address
Near Red Gate Road Marion, Montana
Flathead County

Circumstances of Recovery
Remains of unknown human found.
Details of Recovery

Inventory of Remains
Torso not recovered
One or more limbs not recovered
One or both hands not recovered
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Nancy Drew RN · May 5, 2019

Marion John Doe is now a DNA Doe Project.

DNA Doe Project Case Announcement: Marion John Doe - Montana (2003)

Status: DNA from Marion John Doe has passed through our lab pipeline and is undergoing genetic genealogy analysis at the moment.

Who was Marion John Doe - Montana (2003)?
On 26 October 2003, authorities were apprised of the presence of decomposed and skeletonized body parts of a white male found near Red Gate Road in Marion, Flathead County, Montana.

Authorities believe the man, who was between the ages of 18 and 42, had died up to 8 years prior to being found and estimate he was 5’7” tall and wore size 11 adidas tennis shoes. Also, near the body were: a .22 caliber Smith & Wesson 433 pistol with “Uncle Mike’s Sidekick” black nylon holster; a duffel bag and fanny pack with a water bottle; a marijuana pipe; a handheld electronic poker game; sunglasses; and a bottle of Aleve.

NamUs: UP13963
Date Found: October 26, 2003
Race: White / Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age: 18-42
PMI: Year(s)
Location: Marion, Montana

Anyone who believes they have relevant information on this case should contact authorities directly:
Flathead County Sheriff's Office
Shelley MacDonald
406.758.5585

Links to More Information
https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case…
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Marion_John_Doe_(2003) Wikia
http://dnadoeproject.org/case/marion-flathead-co-john-doe/

Many thanks to our thoughtful supporters for their continued support and interest in the DNA Doe Project. As always, we ask that commenters remain respectful to our Does and their families.

Facial Approximation credit: Michelle Hinojosa / Flathead County Sheriff's Office

#MarionJohnDoe
#FlatHeadCounty
#Montana #MarionMontana
#DNADoeProject

Claireishere · May 28, 2019

Any R/O? Terry Turner maybe?

Liv27 · Jan 23, 2020

For those who have not viewed the Google Sheet:

Marion John Doe has a few high-level matches, with his highest being 43.9 cm. He will need some more work, most likely.

Claireishere · Jan 26, 2020

Liv27 said:
For those who have not viewed the Google Sheet:

Marion John Doe has a few high-level matches, with his highest being 43.9 cm. He will need some more work, most likely.

Where are the google sheets?

Gardener1850 · Jan 26, 2020

Claireishere said:
Where are the google sheets?

It's in their pinned post (under the heading ------CASES-----): DNA Doe Project

Here's the current spreadsheet: Doe Upload.xlsx

YaYa_521 · Jan 27, 2020

Claireishere said:
Any R/O? Terry Turner maybe?

No ruleouts listed.

djanga · Aug 21, 2020

The Crime Junkie Podcast released an episode on Flathead County Doe, they ask for help to identify him, there is an update on his closest matches:
"Could you be related to the Flathead County Doe?

Based on his matches, the DNA Doe Project believes that he could have connections to these surnames and locations.

Saylor, Helton, Brock, or Blanton from Harlan County, Kentucky

Ward, Linn, or Barrett from Montgomery County, Indiana

Greene, Epperson, Seales, or Trent from Hancock County, Tennessee"

MadMcGoo · Aug 21, 2020

One person comes to mind, although I’m sure they’ve checked the databases for those surnames/locations. And this guy is a little outside the parameters; age & height. ETA: may not be off the mark, conflicting stats listed. I see a resemblance though.

Larry Franklin Trent – The Charley Project

djanga · Aug 21, 2020

Larry looks like a good match, may be it is worth submitting.

On crime junkie podcast facebook page there was a guy who said he was in Flathead valley around 1992 and met some “hippie guys” who used to live there. It made me wonder if he was a transient and probably was not reported missing or he was somebody like Larry

Laughing · Aug 21, 2020

WHOA Mr. Laughing has a Trent line; Mr. Laughing has ties to Hancock County but from the other side of his family tree.

(Everyone is accounted for, AFAIK.)

Hancock County is the eastern end of Tennessee, on the border with Virginia.

Melungeon people, a small genetic group, live there.

I could go on, but will spare you.

Identified! MT - Marion, WhtMale 18-49, UP13963, MJ Pipe, Pistol, Poker Game, Oct'03 - Steven Edward Gooch

Ivan

Well-Known Member

Ivan

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

The North remembers

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Timeline Guru (Still Remembering Cupcake)

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Timeline Guru (Still Remembering Cupcake)

Retired WS Staff

Well-Known Member

Moderator

Well-Known Member

Rarely Speechless

DNASolves

Online statistics

Forum statistics