Identified! TN - Sullivan, WhtMale, 40-80, Holston River, Aug’03 - Jerry Holbert

[Coffee56]

Could not find a thread for this one. Please merge if one exits.

The Kingsport Police Department is hoping that releasing recently obtained forensic artwork, and bringing some renewed attention to an unsolved 2003 unidentified human remains investigation, may help bring closure to the case.

The decedent was believed to have been a white male adult with gray or partly gray hair, approximately 40-80 years old, measuring 6 feet tall, and weighing an estimated 180 pounds. When his remains were recovered, he was wearing a white button up shirt with blue and burgundy stripes, blue jeans, black shoes, and a two-tone silver and gold watch with a black face.

Additional photos of clothing and watch:

Unidentified Person Case

More info. 2nd case listed:

June 2018 – The Official Blog of the Kingsport Police Department

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

I believe this is the DNA Doe Project case, not the case in Dandridge (both in East Tennessee, but not interchangeable by any means). If so, his extraction is complete, pending shipment to sequencing lab. I did ask on the Facebook page for clarification.

More specific link to blog post from law enforcement. He is believed to have drowned.

 

[carbuff]

Identified: Jerry D. Holbert

Kingsport PD identify remains found in Holston River 17 years ago as missing West Virginia man | WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather

In June 2020, Kingsport Police detectives found out someone was researching missing persons cases as a hobby and, “had noticed some striking similarities between this unidentified remains cold case and a missing person cold case reported to the Charleston, West Virginia Police Department after a man had gone missing in that jurisdiction on August 4, 2003.”

A release issued Thursday said detectives from Kingsport were able to find and interview a relative of the missing person from Charleston, West Virginia and collect a DNA sample.

It was through that DNA sample that authorities were finally able to identify the remains found in 2003 as Jerry D. Holbert, 64, of Charleston, West Virginia.

 

[dotr]

17-year-old Tennessee cold case leads back to missing Charleston man

Forensic renderings of Jerry D. Holbert are on each side of his actual photo (middle shot). Holbert's remains were identified after 17 years through DNA evidence.(Kingsport Police Department)

 

[Dylansmom08]

Remains found in Tennessee identified as Charleston man reported missing in 2003.
I'm so glad he was identified and able to be returned to his family for a proper burial the circumstances of his death are so sad though. According to this news article it is believed that due to his dementia he got on the wrong bus he was supposed to be going to Ohio and ended up in Tennessee. I can't imagine how scared he must have been when he realize he was lost.