Identified! FL - Alachua Co., WhtMale Skeletal UP5286, 22-40, noose in tree, Feb'79 - Ralph Tufano

[Ray_of_hope]

"ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. - The Alachua County Sheriff's Office is seeking information on a 37-year-old cold case.

ACSO discovered unidentified human remains on February 12, 1979 under a tree in the woods off State Road 236.

Alachua County cold case 1

A small rope with a noose on it was found adjacent to the remains."

http://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/alachua-county/alachua-deputies-seek-information-on-cold-case

"Dr. William Maples, author of "Dead Men Do Tell Tales," conducted an analysis of the skeleton."

white male, age in 30's, 5 ft 6 inches in height, brown lace up shoes, brown pants, light-colored short sleeve shirt and light blue windbreaker. He had a muscular build and reddish or blonde hair.

Had been there for 6-12 months.

 

[CarlK90245]

Here are the DoeNet and Namus pages for this John Doe:

DoeNetwork 1278UMFL http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1278umfl.html
NamUs UP 5286 https://identifyus.org/en/cases/5286

 

[Ray_of_hope]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/henderson_william_pearce.html
A little too tall and slightly younger but maybe?

 

[Ray_of_hope]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/koss_phillip.html
Too tall but very familiar with Gainesville area

 

[Ray_of_hope]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/o/osborne_jeffrey.html

 

[Migmuu]

This man corresponds to UP#5286.

ETA: Carl beat me to it

 

[Ray_of_hope]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/w/woodard_mark.html

 

[Ray_of_hope]

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090623/ARTICLES/906239916?p=1&tc=pg
Interesting... LE searched where the body was believed to be buried and not there. Last seen between 1979 and 1981. Probably not but...

Probably not. He was 6 ft 3 inches and missing right hand.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/parker_benjamin.html

 

[rats]

I'm not entirely sure WHICH Alachua County John Doe is being (tentatively) done by the DDP, but one of them is. DNA Doe Project

Other Alachua Co John's thread: FL - FL - Micanopy, WhtMale UP474, 16-17, crashed, burned in stolen car, Nov'87

 

[leilarose68]

This John Doe is currently at the lab & hopefully usable DNA will be extracted. If so, he will be an upcoming DDP case! I was able to confirm it's him through NAMUS using the numbers DDP updated their post with so it is this 1979 Alachua Doe.

 

[rats]

Whoo! Wish that it could be both! Interesting news!

 

[taramarie]

Second extraction failed. DDP is considering their options...

 

[carbuff]

Unidentified Person Case

Updated Namus.

Bobby Clyatt is the only exclusion.

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

Per today's DNA Doe Project update:

Alachua Co, Florida John Doe (Sheriff # 79-2219 ME # CAPHIL 2A79/78-79) will go to lab for additional extraction.

So unless I'm behind on all their updates (very possible), it sounds like he's getting another chance.

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

Latest update as of 1/25/19:

On its way to lab for enrichment.

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

Latest update as of 3/2/19:

At lab for enrichment.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Update:

"The DNA Doe Project first coordinated with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office on the case of Alachua County John Doe (1978) in May of 2018. Since then we have made three attempts at bone extraction. However, as of yet, we have been unable to obtain enough quality DNA for sequencing. We have decided to make this case a pilot study to determine the efficacy of amplification and enrichment for our low quantity/low-quality samples. We have therefore set up a DoeFundMe for ACJD, and matching funds are available to help defray lab costs. We may also attempt one more bone extraction to boost the quantity to give him our best shot.

Who was Alachua County John Doe (1978)?
On 13 February 1979 the skeletal remains of a white male, approximately 22 to 40 years old, were found under a tree in the woods adjacent to State Road 236. Brown lace-up shoes, brown pants, a light-colored short sleeve shirt, and a light blue windbreaker jacket were found nearby along with a noose. The anthropological analysis determined the man was likely muscular and a little under 5’6” tall with a light complexion, and blonde or reddish hair.

NamUs: #UP5286
Date Found: 13 February 1979
Race: White / Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age: 22-40
PMI: 6 months
Location: Alachua County, Florida

Anyone who believes they have relevant information on this case should contact authorities directly:
Detective Kevin Allen at
Alachua County Sheriff's Office
352.384.3323

Links to More Information
Alachua Co John Doe - DNA Doe Project Cases
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Alachua deputies seek information on cold case

DoeFundMe Goal: $1,530 (if we raise $765 we can match with our Dyer Family Foundation grant)

• To donate via Facebook, please select the option below

• To donate via PayPal, please visit our website at: Alachua Co John Doe - DNA Doe Project Cases and select the “Donate” button

Many thanks to our thoughtful supporters for their continued interest in the DNA Doe Project.

Bust provided courtesy of the FL Institute of Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science at the University of South Florida

#AlachuaJohnDoe1978
#DNADoeProject
#AlachuaCounty
#Florida
#DoeFundMe
#ArtofForensics"

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Update:

"The DNA Doe Project first coordinated with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office on the case of Alachua County John Doe (1978) in May of 2018. Since then we have made three attempts at bone extraction. However, as of yet, we have been unable to obtain enough quality DNA for sequencing. We have decided to make this case a pilot study to determine the efficacy of amplification and enrichment for our low quantity/low-quality samples. We have therefore set up a DoeFundMe for ACJD, and matching funds are available to help defray lab costs. We may also attempt one more bone extraction to boost the quantity to give him our best shot.

Who was Alachua County John Doe (1978)?
On 13 February 1979 the skeletal remains of a white male, approximately 22 to 40 years old, were found under a tree in the woods adjacent to State Road 236. Brown lace-up shoes, brown pants, a light-colored short sleeve shirt, and a light blue windbreaker jacket were found nearby along with a noose. The anthropological analysis determined the man was likely muscular and a little under 5’6” tall with a light complexion, and blonde or reddish hair.

NamUs: #UP5286
Date Found: 13 February 1979
Race: White / Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age: 22-40
PMI: 6 months
Location: Alachua County, Florida

Anyone who believes they have relevant information on this case should contact authorities directly:
Detective Kevin Allen at
Alachua County Sheriff's Office
352.384.3323

Links to More Information
Alachua Co John Doe - DNA Doe Project Cases
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Alachua deputies seek information on cold case

DoeFundMe Goal: $1,530 (if we raise $765 we can match with our Dyer Family Foundation grant)

• To donate via Facebook, please select the option below

• To donate via PayPal, please visit our website at: Alachua Co John Doe - DNA Doe Project Cases and select the “Donate” button

Many thanks to our thoughtful supporters for their continued interest in the DNA Doe Project.

Bust provided courtesy of the FL Institute of Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science at the University of South Florida

#AlachuaJohnDoe1978
#DNADoeProject
#AlachuaCounty
#Florida
#DoeFundMe
#ArtofForensics"

Enrichment done - On way to lab for sequencing.
This is a DoeFundMe case.

 

[Al Ka]

Searching for answers for UP5286

For more than 40 years, UP5286, also known as Alachua County John Doe, has been without a name. But he may soon get it back.

Last month, the DNA Doe Project announced that it has begun work on Doe’s case. The California-based nonprofit organization, established in 2017, uses forensic genealogy to identify John and Jane Does and has succeeded in identifying 19 previously unidentified people.

In February 1979, the skeletal remains of a white man between the ages of 22 and 40 were found in woods near State Road 236 in Alachua County. Analysis found that the man was less than 5 feet 6 inches tall with blonde or red hair.

On or near the remains: brown lace-up shoes, brown pants, a light-colored shirt and a light blue windbreaker. A noose was found. The cause of death remains undetermined.

Anthony Redgrave is responsible for the hunt to identify Doe as the case manager for DNA Doe Project’s Florida cases. He supervises the genealogists and volunteers who work on the case.


Searching for answers for UP5286

 

[Melt71]

It's a lovely article and very humanising, especially the DDP case manager's quote "When he was doing research on Doe’s case and saw the location where the body was found, the thought of Doe dying in this beautiful wooded area and remaining nameless for all this time overcame him."
Also of interest, sequencing showed UID is possibly of Italian or Spanish descent.