UT UT - St George, Wht/NtvMale 15-17, 692UMUT, in cave, DOD 1914-1925, 13th rib, smoker, Dec'98

I have reached out to authorities for nearly three months. All I get is a cut-and-paste response. I think I know who "Lil' Webb is".

692UMUT - Unidentified Male​

Everett Ruess has already been ruled out by DNA comparison, as discussed upthread.

Thanks for that info. I've gotten a reply and they said that it was ruled out by DNA several years ago and that he was definitely too old/tall to be the JD.
 
It's frustrating that the images and reports on the Mystery at Webb Hill site aren't archived. The ones we do have are tiny! Fashion history is a very in-depth subject, and a historian could probably narrow his clothing's age down to a range of 1-3 years--but being able to see details is key.

Marshall Field's was a department store based in Chicago. It also had a very successful wholesaler business around the time of this young man's death, selling to merchants across the US. I can't figure out if the goods sold through it retained the Marshall Field's brand, though. If they did, he likely bought them near the site of his death.
 
Why did it take so many years for his remains to be found?
 
Webb Hill John Doe has been unidentified for 25 years today.

Technically, it sounds like he’s actually been unidentified for 100+ years (DoD estimated 1917-1925). :)

Summary as of December 2023:

Some of the previous links are on the Wayback Machine (although frustratingly, none of the images are):


Doe still has some images:


Archived story from 2004:


Still not in Namus.

The story linked above mentions LSU FACES lab did the reconstruction, but he’s not on their site, either.

The only known exclusion is Everett Ruess (via DNA).

Brief notes:

- what does “Native American features’ mean?

- teeth stained from tobacco and a heavily developed right arm from “heavy industrial work” imply an older person than “15”, imo.

- if he was a skeleton, how did they determine the size of the right arm, the lung infection, and the swollen head?

- I’ve seen him referred to as both Webb Hill John Doe and Washington County John Doe 1998.
 
Last edited:
His NamUs profile is now visible - UP15512


ME/C Case Number 199801495*

Biological Sex Male
Race/Ethnicity Other
Estimated Age Group Late Teen/Young Adult
Estimated Age Range (Years) 15-17
Estimated PMI Years
Height 5' 4"(64 inches) , Estimated
Weight Cannot Estimate

Type Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found December 7, 1998
NamUs Case Created July 28, 2016

Location Found Map

Location St. George, Utah
County Washington County
GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped) --
Found On Tribal Land No

Circumstances of Recovery Skeletal remains were found in a cave in 1998. Clothing and footwear found with the body suggests the decedent died prior to 1920. The decedent's race is suspected to be mixed caucasian and Native American.

Inventory of Remains All parts recovered
Condition of Remains Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton

Hair Color Unknown
Left Eye Color Unknown
Right Eye Color Unknown

Clothing Clothing present but unknown what it is
Footwear Boots

The is a PDF attached regarding the pair of boots the decedent was wearing:

 

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