PA PA - Albany Twp, WhtMale 25-40, UP5661, in cave @ The Pinnacle, ring w/blue stone, clothes, Jan'77

[bflocket]

Here's something that I'm a little confused about...

Per DoeNet:

There is little documentation available for this unidentified man. Any photos, autopsy reports, possible fingerprints or dental records have been lost. He was buried in the Berks County Potters Field, however, there are no burial plot records available and his exact location in the cemetery is unknown at this time.

Per NamUS:



How was James Charapko ruled out if there's nothing DNA-wise to rule him out? He hasn't been found elsewhere that I could find.

I've seen plenty of people who've been definitively identified via DNA that were pretty far off from the height/weight/etc parameters mentioned for he UID. I wonder how they did it with him?

After seeing that on DoeNet, I was surprised to see a "rule-out" on NamUS.

 

[carbuff]

I dunno, but Namus says fingerprints are available elsewhere.

And it could have been Charapko's fused ankle. No indication of anything like that for the UID.

 

[bflocket]

This is one of the pics listed on NamUS. It's quite apparent that the photo is a pic taken of a page in a book.

Does anyone know which particular book it was taken from?
...and/or whether said book could have any additional info (however insignificant) about this case that wasn't on Doe/NamUS?

 

[carbuff]

I don't think it's a book. I think it's a newspaper article. That should be easier to locate.

 

[apearn]

Yes, that was from a newspaper article. I know I've run across it but I just looked and I can't find a good link.

 

[Nikon]

Under the caption, it says courtesy of Reading Times. Since this man was found in Pennsylvania, I looked up Reading, PA newspapers. Reading Times was a local Reading, PA morning newspaper. Reading Eagle, another local newspaper, acquired Reading Times in 1940. In 1982, the two newspapers combined. In 2002, Reading Times ceased to exist.

I'd start with Reading Eagle of Reading, Pennsylvania if one wants to find that particular article.

 

[Paradise]

Under the caption, it says courtesy of Reading Times. Since this man was found in Pennsylvania, I looked up Reading, PA newspapers. Reading Times was a local Reading, PA morning newspaper. Reading Eagle, another local newspaper, acquired Reading Times in 1940. In 1982, the two newspapers combined. In 2002, Reading Times ceased to exist.

I'd start with Reading Eagle of Reading, Pennsylvania if one wants to find that particular article.

I know this isn't the article where the photo came from, but I found this article from the Lebanon Daily News:

Lebanon Daily News
Wednesday, March 2, 1977

BODY OF MAN IS UNIDENTIFIED

Who is the man whose body was found in a cave below the place known as the Pinnacle along the Appalachian Trail in Albany Twp., Berks County?

This is the unanswered question being asked by State Police and they are appealing to the public for help in making an identification.

The body of the white male, about 23 to 28 years old was discovered Jan. 16 in a frozen state. The cave where the body was found is accessible by foot only.

The man was attired in a dark brown suede buckskin jacket, size 38, with tassels on the sleeves and torso; Wrangler slacks of faded blue, size 30x34; brown knit turtleneck sweater, size "M", labeled Jules Pilch- Doylestown/Hattboro; brown leather hiking boots, ankle length, size 10-10 1/2, with black Vibran soles; long winter underwear and drawers, size "S", military issue with laundrey mark B-0654.

He was also wearing a 14 karat gold ring with a blue stone.

The physical description of the man is as follows:
height, 70 inches
weight, 155
hair, reddish brown and curly
eyes, blue
blood type, O positive
T-shaped scar on left side of chin

Anyone having information relative to the identification of the dead man is asked to contact the Jonestown State Police Substation.

 

[Paradise]

An awesome friend of mine who could probably find anything I ask had the article from the Reading Eagle:

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[apearn]

Bumping for Pinnacle John Doe

 

[apearn]

I don't think Pinnacle John Doe is Dean but I thought the description of the hitchhikers clothes was similar to this man.

 

[Richrd]

.

PA - Albany Twp. >> Berks County - Wht/Male, 25-35, UP#5661, in Cave near Pinnacle Overlook, Jan '77

Body Exhumed in August 2019
WFMZ TV-69:
Body exhumed in Berks County as part of missing person cases

Previously:
National missing & Unidenfied persons system - UP#5661:
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)​

[Contribution # 6694
Thread # 273725]
.

 

[apearn]

If you see any other reports on him please post them Richard. Thank you!

 

[apearn]

News report on exhumation - His dental records are a close match to two records from missing persons!

Body exhumed in Berks County as part of missing person cases

 

[doodles1211]

Officials in Berks County have exhumed an unidentified body as part of two missing persons cases in two separate states.

Officials on Monday exhumed the body at Potter's Field. The John Doe was found in a cave near the Blue Mountain ridge in Berks County in 1977. Authorities said no foul play was suspected in that case.

Now, the body has been exhumed in connection with two missing persons cases in Florida and Illinois.

Police say there was a hit on two possible matching dental records of missing men in the two states.

The teeth match-they were close, similar to both but it wasn't conclusive. There's only one way to conclusively ID him and that's to dig the body up," said Berks County Coroner Dennis Hess.

The bones will be sent to a university for DNA testing. Results could come back in as little as three weeks.

Body exhumed in Berks County as part of missing person cases

 

[Richrd]

.

From January 1977:​

.

 

[Gardener1850]

DNA may help solve the 42-year old mystery of man found frozen in a Berks County cave

The world may soon know the name of a man whose frozen body was discovered 42 years ago by teenage hikers in a cave along the Appalachian Trail in Albany Township.

On Monday, authorities exhumed the body of the unknown man, who was buried in lot 55 of the potter's field along Cedar Top Road in Cumru Township. The body was buried there Jan. 27, 1977, 11 days and one autopsy after the young hikers discovered at the Pinnacle, a well-known vista along the trail.

Based on dental records, police believe the unidentified man's DNA could match that of one of two persons who went missing in 1975.

Paul Gregory Egan of Plantation, Fla., was last seen on July 21, 1975, according to documents filed in Berks County court.

Michale D. Mansfield of Rolling Meadows, Ill., was last seen on Dec. 31, 1975.

Both men were in their early 20s.

According to Berks County Chief Deputy Coroner Jonn M. Hollenbach, those remains are being sent to the University of North Texas Health Science Center, where DNA testing will determine whether there's a match with Egan or Mansfield.

Relatives of both missing men have contributed DNA samples to aid in the investigation.

DNA may help solve the 42-year old mystery of man found frozen in a Berks County cave

 

[Gardener1850]

Paul Egan's (closed) Thread: FL - Paul Gregory Egan (18) - Plantation FL, 1975

Michael Mansfield's thread: IL - IL - Michael Mansfield, 19, Rolling Meadows, 31 Dec 1975

 

[apearn]

I emailed the coroner to see if there are any updates.

 

[Coffee56]

If neither Paul or Michael are a match, any update of this one? Joseph Bichrest.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I've always believed him to be a good match physically and he also has ties to PA. It's mentioned earlier in the thread that he was suggested to the MSP and I have no doubts that it was followed and he is probably a rule out but putting him back out there just in case.

 

[apearn]

The coroner said they are still waiting for results. I asked them to let me know.