CA CA- Berkeley, WhtMale, 20-30, UP53302, found under an overpass, lesions all over body. March 1985.

[cheemsg]

He was found under an overpass @ University Avenue/Interstate 80. His face was still recognisable when he was found but no PMI listed.
He was 5'10 and 137 pounds. He had reddish brown hair, eye colour is listed as unknown.
He chewed his fingernails. He had lesions on his arms, legs, chest and back. It doesn't seem to specify what type of lesions.
No clothing is listed.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Puzzleworth]

1980s, died in the street, unidentified/unclaimed, covered in lesions--sounds like AIDS to me. Either way, what an awful way to go. May he rest easy.

Berkeley is in Alameda County. Mowry Wetlands JD, another Alameda County UID, was found the same year and was cremated but a few rootless hairs were kept. I wonder if something similar was kept of this John Doe.

 

[shushu]

This is local for me and that area has always been a bit sketchy. It's also right next to the bay and near a large parking area for water activities etc. I agree with the poster who suggested AIDS as a likely cause of the lesions. His death could have been drug related too, or a combination. Really sad.

 

[Myrrh]

1 rule out per NamUs

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I truly don't understand how so many people passed-away alone and unclaimed during those years. I can't wrap my mind around it.

Is there anyone out there, maybe his parent, sibling, cousin, wondering about him? Hoping to find him?
I think likely so.

Here are his reconstructions from NamUs. R.I.P. young man.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

 

[iamshadow21]

I was going to suggest KS lesions, and I see someone beat me to it. He was pretty thin for his height, too. I think it's safe to say that he probably died of illness. If the lesions were just on his arms, I'd think infection of injecting sites was possible, but as far as I know, no one shoots up drugs in their back. Not without help, anyway. You can't reach or see to find a vein.

Reddish hair might narrow the field a bit, but not if he came to California as a young adult because he was gay and was actually from, say Iowa but was no-contact with his biorelatives. This might be a Doe we have to look far and wide for, rather than local.

As @Puzzleworth said, I would hope there's been something kept of this Doe for testing. It's entirely possible, even likely, he was never reported missing. I'd hope, at the very least, they took fingerprints, if it was still possible. It doesn't help if there's no example for matching, but it could help with exclusions for those missing who do have prints on file.

 

[ProductiveOne]

I've submitted the following cases.

Patrick Albert Wright went missing on December 8, 1975, one day before his birthday. At the time of his disappearance, Patrick was suffering from schizophrenia. On March 19, 1985, a decedent was found "beneath an overpass at University Avenue and Interstate 80 in Berkeley," 10 miles from where Patrick went missing.

I believe the two resemble one another, with their noses, ears, and hairlines being the most questionable. Patrick was heavier at the time he went missing, however, the unidentified may have had an illness given his "skin ulceration or lesions on arms, legs, chest and back." Patrick would be roughly 4+ years older than the unidentified's estimated age range.



Patrick Albert Wright (NamUs #MP30551)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Berkeley, CA Unidentified (NamUs #UP53302)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[iamshadow21]

I've submitted the following cases.

Patrick Albert Wright went missing on December 8, 1975, one day before his birthday. At the time of his disappearance, Patrick was suffering from schizophrenia. On March 19, 1985, a decedent was found "beneath an overpass at University Avenue and Interstate 80 in Berkeley," 10 miles from where Patrick went missing.

I believe the two resemble one another, with their noses, ears, and hairlines being the most questionable. Patrick was heavier at the time he went missing, however, the unidentified may have had an illness given his "skin ulceration or lesions on arms, legs, chest and back." Patrick would be roughly 4+ years older than the unidentified's estimated age range.

View attachment 506576

Patrick Albert Wright (NamUs #MP30551)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Berkeley, CA Unidentified (NamUs #UP53302)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

That's a good physical resemblance, IMO. Worth a comparison.