IL IL - Chicago, WhiteMale 30-35, UP14306, Knit Cap, Jan '86

[victoriarobinson642]

NAMUS:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

(Non-graphic postmortem photo warning)
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Biological Sex - Male
Race / Ethnicity - White / Caucasian
Estimated Age Group - Adult - Pre 40
Estimated Age Range (Years) - 30-35
Estimated Year of Death - 1986
Height - 5' 10"(70 inches) , Measured
Weight - 181 lbs, Measured
Type - Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found - January 6, 1986
Location - Chicago, Illinois
Circumstances of Recovery - Found at 2513 West Cullerton
Hair Color - Brown
Head Hair Description - Reddish Brown hair, curly, medium length
Body Hair Description - Chest hair
Facial Hair Description - Slight mustache, red beard
Eye Color - Brown
Clothing - Per police report: "Black zippered jacket waist length, white bulky knit sweater, gray jean pants, gray socks, white and black Nike gym shoes and a red/blue knit cap."
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Approx. location:

Google Maps

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www.google.com

 

[azure]

This is on the west side of Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, which in the 60s shifted to a largely Hispanic demographic. Our decedent doesn't look Hispanic. However, there has also been a Polish population in Pilsen throughout the years. Does anyone think this UID could be Polish?

 

[hayyitsfallon]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

(I didn't find this - from a FB post)

 

[Quilty]

I submitted Gordon Bethel Lopez as a potential match for this Doe. 4187DMOR - Gordon Bethel Lopez
Although the distance and age make this questionable, there are moles/freckles that match between the pm photos and Gordon, specifically the upper left forehead. Gordon disappeared 2 days before this man was found.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Quick reconstruction. I hope they have identifiers for him.

 

[Quilty]

I submitted Gordon Bethel Lopez as a potential match for this Doe. 4187DMOR - Gordon Bethel Lopez
Although the distance and age make this questionable, there are moles/freckles that match between the pm photos and Gordon, specifically the upper left forehead. Gordon disappeared 2 days before this man was found.

I heard back from the Doe Network. Their forensic dentist is 96% sure this is a match.

 

[carbuff]

Fingers crossed!

 

[Susikatze]

I heard back from the Doe Network. Their forensic dentist is 96% sure this is a match.

I agree, striking resemblance.
But how did he get from Portland to Chicago in 2 days?

 

[carbuff]

I agree, striking resemblance.
But how did he get from Portland to Chicago in 2 days?

It's about two days by Greyhound, probably a little longer for most people driving, several hours less if you drive like my brother. If he bought a bus ticket or caught a ride with a through trucker, he could make it easily.

(adding: source: google maps and personal experience)

 

[Quilty]

I agree, striking resemblance.
But how did he get from Portland to Chicago in 2 days?

There has been a relatively well traveled train route that goes from Portland to Chicago daily. It currently takes around 2 days with all of the stops, etc. I am not sure how much that has changed since the mid 1980s. He also had a car that has not been recovered.

This UID was found outside of a factory/industrial building near train tracks.

 

[carbuff]

There has been a relatively well traveled train route that goes from Portland to Chicago daily. It currently takes around 2 days with all of the stops, etc. I am not sure how much that has changed since the mid 1980s. He also had a car that has not been recovered.

This UID was found outside of a factory/industrial building near train tracks.

Oh, I forgot about the train. A lot of cross country trains stopped running during the 80s but I'm pretty sure that one was always available. It went (still goes) through Montana on the High Line.

If he had a car, it's no problem to get to Chicago by Jan. 6, even if he stopped to sleep.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I assume that is in reference to the Empire Builder Amtrak line. Yes, it line seems to have been running at the time. It's a long ride (as Amtrak rides tend to be) at about forty-five hours, so I think the timeline is a bit narrow.

 

[Susikatze]

I assume that is in reference to the Empire Builder Amtrak line. Yes, it line seems to have been running at the time. It's a long ride (as Amtrak rides tend to be) at about forty-five hours, so I think the timeline is a bit narrow.

Yeah very tight. However I am totally convinced he is our UID. How reliable is the date when he was last seen?

Everything about the UID is a match minus age but since Lopez was a former competitive wrestler with a very muscular frame and a strong beard, he could easily have been mistaken for being in his 30s.

 

[carbuff]

Charley Project has a lot more information about the circumstances of Lopez's disappearance. It sounds like there could be quite a bit of uncertainty about that January 3 date.

Gordon was close to his eighteen-year-old sister Terry and they kept in touch by phone and letters. Terry last heard from her brother at Christmas in 1985, when he called to thank her for the gifts she'd given him. He didn't indicate that anything was amiss during the conversation.

After Christmas, Gordon wrote a letter home addressed to their mother, but their mother was in Japan visiting one of their siblings over the winter 1985/86 holidays, and Terry opened the letter instead. Gordon enclosed his final, uncashed college tuition check and wrote that they would never see him again and he had no regrets.

When Terry went to his apartment in Portland, she discovered he'd cleaned it out and vanished. His car, a maroon and red 1972 Volvo, disappeared with him and was never registered again, and his Social Security number hasn't been active since he went missing.

Gordon Bethel Lopez – The Charley Project