Identified! IL - Meyer, WhtMale, 20-30, tattoos, Florida tshirt, Apr' 85 - Thomas William Brannon

[Melt71]

Case on IL State Police's unsolved crimes page. I cannot see this case in Namus or DoeNetwork and did a search on WS using some of the key words below without finding a previous thread.

www.isp.state.il.us/crime/unsolveddetails.cfm?ID=54

Case Details: On 04-09-1985 the Adams County Sheriff's Department was notified of the discovery of a deceased unidentified white male (approximately 20-30 years of age). The body was discovered by a private citizen. The body was located near an abandoned rock quarry on property rented by the Western IL Stone Company. This area is in the northwest portion of Adams County, IL (approximately 4 miles east of Meyer, IL) and is a rural area. The property was adjacent to County Road 0543E. Upon arrival officers of the ISP and Adams County Sheriff's Dept. observed the unidentified white male body which was partially covered. An autopsy was performed which concluded the cause of death was the result of multiple blunt trauma to the head and torso. The individual was found wearing "segefield" blue jeans, blue insulated underwear, gray socks (no shoes), a white printed t-shirt was located with the individual with the following printing "Captain Anderson's Restaurant Panama City Beach, FL." Investigators also noted a distinct tattoo on the victim's right forearm (a skeleton holding an inverted shotgun).
Contact Information: If anyone has any information regarding this case they can contact Illinois State Police, Zone 4 Investigations (217-285-2034) or the Adams County Sheriff's Department (217-227-2200).

 

[Melt71]

Tshirt

Right forearm tattoo

 

[MadMcGoo]

Good find Melt, thanks for posting!

It’s hard to make out because the images are pretty small, but that tattoo seems unique...as does the t-shirt from Florida.

ETA: any thoughts on PMI?

 

[alucardsdream]

Great find...I wish there was a way to get all these old unsolved cases into Namus. I understand police agencies are likely swamped with things to do, but it makes you wonder just how many UIDs like this poor guy aren't listed where people can find them.

The restaurant the shirt is from is actually still open, according to their website they've been there since 1967. Although since the UID was wearing insulated underwear, he may have been local to Illinois and picked the shirt up while traveling. I doubt someone from Florida worried too much about warm underwear.

About Capt. Anderson's Restaurant in Panama City Beach & Waterfront Market

 

[alucardsdream]

Who killed Marvin the Mummy?

Thomas William “Marvin The Mummy” Brannon...

It looks like they actually figured out who it was...might explain why he isn't in Namus anymore.

 

[YaYa_521]

Who killed Marvin the Mummy?

Bbm-

Who was Marvin the Mummy, and why weren't authorities able to identify him for so long?

Snip

Even with a complete set of fingerprints from the victim, an identity was never found.

But everything cleared up once Spence confessed.

"(Mississippi authorities) contacted the Florida Department of Corrections and sure enough, our victim had been in prison. He had been fingerprinted, but his file had somehow slipped through the cracks and had not been entered into the system," Hood said.

That's right - it was a procedural error that left the mummy unidentified for 23 years.

Nearly a quarter-century after the body was first found, investigators learned the name of the man in the quarry: Thomas Brannon.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I’m glad they were able to identify him after so long. Hopefully Thomas can rest peacefully!

(Very interesting, although tragic, set of events for those who haven’t read the linked article) thanks for the update!