Yesterday marked 40 years since this young man took his life. In his letter, he expressed a desire to die in anonymity. I sometimes wonder if he knew that no one would make an effort to find him. That's probably unfair of me to say. The opposite is just so darn sad, parents hoping, waiting for 40 years and never knowing the truth.
I don't know why I didn't think of it until now, but it occurred to me recently that since the funeral home is mentioned in the article I posted with the sketch, that might be a good source for information. So I did some research, and learned that Mothe Funeral Home has records on microfilm in the City Archives dating back to 1933. I thought it was a lost cause until I scrolled all the way through the list and found it at the very end. The information isn't online (which is why previous searches have been unsuccessful, I presume), and will require a visit to the main public library. I'll be happy to do the research, but not until next week after Mardi Gras is over and downtown resumes its normal mad pace. I will jump for joy if I can find a death certificate or burial record. Then finally this John Doe will be an "official" and documented, albeit nameless, human being. :crossfingers:
http://nutrias.org/guides/genguide/burialrecords.htm