PA PA - Bedford, 'Mr. Bones' WhtMale 30-35, 585UMPA, 30-06 rifle, gold dental wk, camping equip, Oct'58

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Wow Warwick1991!!
Super Great find thank you!! Yep not Mr Bones ugh! Again thanks for finding that so quick!
Oh the old FBI bulletin!. I love those old magazines/bulletins/newspapers..you can get so lost for hours in them!
He looked like a promising candidate for Mr Bones, but when I dug deeper, it couldn't have been him...
 
Bumping for my old friend Mr. B. My offer to pledge $500 for testing of Mr. Bones’ bones still stands. Anyone else want to try Othram? I am out of gas on this case. I have worked it well over 10 years, only a few things to show for it, and really no closer to finding out his name and what happened.

Yes. But - I'll have very little time before the 31st. Can you send me a link to this case on Othram site? I'd match your donation.

My own theory - probably wrong - but lenses and gold dental work cost a lot. Not a regular GI. Either an ex-bootlegger or a child of one and killed out of revenge.
 
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My opinion is that he was from the Chicago area (source of the contact lenses), and had attended some institution of higher education in New York. His rifle, dental work, contact lenses and jacket were not inexpensive items, and I think he was from an affluent or middle class background. I also think he was a veteran of either WWII or the Korean Conflict, and that he may have suffered from PTSD. Many in that generation were left to grapple with the symptoms of PTSD without support. I think he had a vehicle of some kind, which was gone by the time he was found. Just an opinion, because no one here really knows who he was. As many of us agree, DNA is going to the only method of identifying him now.
 
Is it possible he was AWAL? Could have decided to hide out in the woods for a while. The gun could have been for protection from animals and for hunting. Or maybe he wasn't going to be captured and was going to fight back. Just some thoughts.

Also, just to compare 6'4" is in the 98 percentile of American males today. In 1960, in was the average height of an NBA player. IMHO, less reasons for the tall man to fall through the cracks. Of course, we don't know how he looked as it is highly possible he went through war (Burns? Scars? A shot to the head might have obscured in vivo traumas). Anyhow, strange that no one "claimed" him.
 
I don’t know if it was ever discussed but I
My opinion is that he was from the Chicago area (source of the contact lenses), and had attended some institution of higher education in New York. His rifle, dental work, contact lenses and jacket were not inexpensive items, and I think he was from an affluent or middle class background. I also think he was a veteran of either WWII or the Korean Conflict, and that he may have suffered from PTSD. Many in that generation were left to grapple with the symptoms of PTSD without support. I think he had a vehicle of some kind, which was gone by the time he was found. Just an opinion, because no one here really knows who he was. As many of us agree, DNA is going to the only method of identifying him now.
I believe your right with him being from Chicago Illinois. People generally have a doctors close to where they live.
On the books another thing I often wondered if maybe he had family ties to those books he carried. Maybe an author in the book was a close relative. But def had ties to NYC because of the keys too.

I do agree with all your thoughts on Mr Bones and yes I also feel DNA would prob be the solution to the identity of this man. So much time work has been dedicated to this guy for so many years yet his identity is still remains unknown!
 
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Maybe it has already been mentioned but could this profile be valid?


Missing Person / NamUs #MP32982
Paul Gordon Love, Male, White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact: October 2, 1947
Missing From: Galesburg, Illinois
Missing Age: 22 Years

1703846426656.png1703846458179.png
 
Maybe it has already been mentioned but could this profile be valid?


Missing Person / NamUs #MP32982
Paul Gordon Love, Male, White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact: October 2, 1947
Missing From: Galesburg, Illinois
Missing Age: 22 Years

View attachment 470833View attachment 470834
Apologies if this has already been discussed and discounted. If so, just scroll on.
In my mind this facial sketch seems very close to that of Mr. Bones.
I was startled to see it. So I went on a search. Quite a rabbit hole.
In googling the name Paul Gordon Love, Illinois a few articles come up.
Paul’s height, if correct, is far from that of Mr Bones. He is too short. 5’7 vs 6’2.
Unless each estimate if off by a few inches.
In reading Paul’s information he supposedly had a friend in Pennsylvania and Paul had spent time in PA when younger. However he was thought to be hitchhiking to California in 1947 when he went missing. Headed for Hollywood. The books Mr. Bones had could indicate a ‘would be’ actors sensitivity.
Paul had $1400. In a checking account when he left town. The equivalent of $17k today.
Seems his family was wealthy and well educated. Political ties too, a previous generation.
Paul’s Father was associated with the Boy Scouts. ? Mr Bones camping equipment?
Paul was attending University. He wore glasses.
Paul had served in WWII.
Plenty of time between 1947 and early 1950‘S for Paul to leave Hollywood ( if he actually arrived there but was not successful ) return to the East and plan to look up a friend in Pa. Maybe do some camping along the way.

This article has details about ties to Pennsylvania.

Another article.


“A possible breakthrough occurred when a Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, man sent a letter to Monmouth Chief of Police Paul Atchison disclosing that he had picked up a hitchhiker near Burlington, Iowa, who resembled the missing student. He revealed that the hitchhiker said that he lived in a Chicago suburb and was going to the school at the University of Illinois branch in Galesburg. He stated that he was tired of it all and was heading for Hollywood. Unfortunately the lead proved to be fruitless even with the FBI involved in the case.”
 
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Mr Bones was 6'-4" and his weight was said to be 200 pounds. Although his remains were skeletal, his remains and clothing still yielded a lot of information. This is a much bigger man than Love, who was listed as 5'-7" and 155 pounds. I don't think a 9" difference in height is a mistake that a coroner would make.

Also, Love disappeared 11 years before Mr Bones was found, and was on his way to California. If Love was alive during those 11 years, I think there would be evidence of employment or study. My guess is that Love, who was hitchhiking, was killed by someone who picked him up.
 
Yes. But - I'll have very little time before the 31st. Can you send me a link to this case on Othram site? I'd match your donation.

My own theory - probably wrong - but lenses and gold dental work cost a lot. Not a regular GI. Either an ex-bootlegger or a child of one and killed out of revenge.
The case isn't yet on the Othram site because they haven't taken it, at least as of now.
 

''585UMPA - Unidentified Male​

Sketch
Jeans
Backpack
Camping Gear
Rifle Case

Artistic rendering of the victim; Victim's jeans, backpack, camping mess kit, and rifle case

Date of Discovery: October 9, 1958
Location of Discovery: Bedford Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Estimated Date of Death: 1 year prior
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Cause of Death: Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head

Physical Description​

Estimated Age: 30-35 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 6'2" to 6'6"
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Brown to dark brown, straight.
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Robust build. Wore plastic contact lenses. Of European ancestry. Cranial vault described as being large, round and with a narrow nasal aperture.

Identifiers​

Dentals: Available. Gold dental work.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Available.

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: From the initial 1958 report: Gray wool hunting socks with red top, blue denim dungarees with a wide black leather belt, white tee shirt, white jockey type shorts, black leather motorcycle type jacket with full length zipper and slant zipper pockets, and black "engineering" boots, length 12 5/8", width of sole 4 1/2", heel 3 1/4 ", top height 10 1/2", with buckles on the outside. Numerous articles of clothing found nearby. No hat was found.
Jewelry: None located.
Additional Personal Items: Right corneal plastic contact lens - specifications (Rx) knownBooks - two poetry and one science-relatedExtensive amount of camping equipment including a canteen and backpack. Most appears new with little to no indication of use.ToiletriesBlack wallet containing $38High-powered .30-06 Springfield rifle and gun caseAmmunitionBrass key with "Active 195 Avenue A" stamped on it. It had been duplicated by Active Locksmiths, 195 Avenue A, New York, NY, but this was a locksmith's stamp and the unidentified person is NOT ASSOCIATED with the property at this address.

Circumstances of Discovery​

The victim's partial skeletal remains were found in an wooded area approximately 1/2 mile north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Midway Service Plazas, in Bedford, and about 85 miles east of Pittsburgh. He had died from a gunshot wound to the head, but while authorities believe the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, they don't know if it was an accident or suicide.

Investigators believe the man was well off because of the gold dental work and the contact lenses, which were unusual for the time. The contact lenses were traced to a Chicago manufacturer and fitted by an Illinois physician, but there are no records of the buyer. The books suggest the victim may have benefited from higher education, or may have been a serious student of poetry or literature.

The rifle was sold in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1939, but no further tracing of the gun's ownership could be found. The brass key hasn't been matched to any location. The dental work has yielded no matches.

While the victim appeared well-equipped for camping, investigators found no eating utensils nor food supplies.

Investigators do not believe the victim was from the Bedford area. Anecdotal information may connect this victim to the state of Kentucky: Prior to the victim's discovery, in September 1957, local police in Bedford Borough encountered a loitering man in possession of a rifle. This unidentified man said he was enroute from Kentucky to Canada.

Anthropologic examinations conducted in 1959 and again in 2003 revealed the victim to have been an adult male of European ancestry, likely between the ages of 30-35 with a living stature of about 6'4" (+/- 2").''
 

''585UMPA - Unidentified Male​

Sketch
Jeans
Backpack
Camping Gear
Rifle Case

Artistic rendering of the victim; Victim's jeans, backpack, camping mess kit, and rifle case

Date of Discovery: October 9, 1958
Location of Discovery: Bedford Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Estimated Date of Death: 1 year prior
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Cause of Death: Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head

Physical Description​

Estimated Age: 30-35 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 6'2" to 6'6"
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Brown to dark brown, straight.
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Robust build. Wore plastic contact lenses. Of European ancestry. Cranial vault described as being large, round and with a narrow nasal aperture.

Identifiers​

Dentals: Available. Gold dental work.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Available.

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: From the initial 1958 report: Gray wool hunting socks with red top, blue denim dungarees with a wide black leather belt, white tee shirt, white jockey type shorts, black leather motorcycle type jacket with full length zipper and slant zipper pockets, and black "engineering" boots, length 12 5/8", width of sole 4 1/2", heel 3 1/4 ", top height 10 1/2", with buckles on the outside. Numerous articles of clothing found nearby. No hat was found.
Jewelry: None located.
Additional Personal Items: Right corneal plastic contact lens - specifications (Rx) knownBooks - two poetry and one science-relatedExtensive amount of camping equipment including a canteen and backpack. Most appears new with little to no indication of use.ToiletriesBlack wallet containing $38High-powered .30-06 Springfield rifle and gun caseAmmunitionBrass key with "Active 195 Avenue A" stamped on it. It had been duplicated by Active Locksmiths, 195 Avenue A, New York, NY, but this was a locksmith's stamp and the unidentified person is NOT ASSOCIATED with the property at this address.

Circumstances of Discovery​

The victim's partial skeletal remains were found in an wooded area approximately 1/2 mile north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Midway Service Plazas, in Bedford, and about 85 miles east of Pittsburgh. He had died from a gunshot wound to the head, but while authorities believe the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, they don't know if it was an accident or suicide.

Investigators believe the man was well off because of the gold dental work and the contact lenses, which were unusual for the time. The contact lenses were traced to a Chicago manufacturer and fitted by an Illinois physician, but there are no records of the buyer. The books suggest the victim may have benefited from higher education, or may have been a serious student of poetry or literature.

The rifle was sold in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1939, but no further tracing of the gun's ownership could be found. The brass key hasn't been matched to any location. The dental work has yielded no matches.

While the victim appeared well-equipped for camping, investigators found no eating utensils nor food supplies.

Investigators do not believe the victim was from the Bedford area. Anecdotal information may connect this victim to the state of Kentucky: Prior to the victim's discovery, in September 1957, local police in Bedford Borough encountered a loitering man in possession of a rifle. This unidentified man said he was enroute from Kentucky to Canada.

Anthropologic examinations conducted in 1959 and again in 2003 revealed the victim to have been an adult male of European ancestry, likely between the ages of 30-35 with a living stature of about 6'4" (+/- 2").''
Later published articles on the rifle showed that it was a Remington in .30-06 Springfield caliber, and that it was a model that was first manufactured in 1948. It couldn't have been sold in 1939. There's detailed discussion about this further back in this thread, and some links.
 
Later published articles on the rifle showed that it was a Remington in .30-06 Springfield caliber, and that it was a model that was first manufactured in 1948. It couldn't have been sold in 1939. There's detailed discussion about this further back in this thread, and some links.
Yes, it was probably just a long ago misprint that won’t go away.
 
BUMPING.
This is, to me, the most frustrating case on Websleuths. The remains are in a barrel in police custody. The technology has caught up to the case, that is, it should now be possible to get usable DNA and construct a family tree. We have offered to raise money to do so. Many of the obstacles forund in some cases don’t exist here.
The rest depends on a few phone calls and permissions, which have not been forthcoming.
 
@othram
Bumping for Mr. Bones

Bumping for our friend, poor old Mr. B
Stuck in a barrel, as we all see
Just bones and teeth and a little hair
Will he reclaim his name, does anyone care?
Were you from Maine or from Mississippi?
A criminal outlaw, or a prototype hippie?
You’re there in a barrel, silently resting
So I guess it’s down to the DNA testing!
 

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