AK AK - Anchorage, WhtMale 439UMAK, 25-40, naked, fell from flagpole, Aug'89
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MarziPanda
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I don't think so. Maybe we can tag in @othram to take a look? It seems like it's the kind of case that isn't getting an ID unless genetic genealogy is used.
I tried to find any record of it on Othram or DNADOEPROJECT a couple weeks ago and couldn’t find anything. I know the case is with LE in Alaska but being out of the US myself I have no idea how to go about contacting them to organise contact with a company like that or setting up fundraising or the likes. I browsed the Alaska PD website but quickly gave up
I think @othram might be the only way that ‘flagpole doe’ might ever get his name back.
With the amount of time that has passed with seemingly no leads at all, I have to wonder whether the poor family even knows their child/sibling/father etc. is missing at all - or if they they simply believe they fell out of contact. This is one I really hope to see solved in my lifetime.
With the amount of time that has passed with seemingly no leads at all, I have to wonder whether the poor family even knows their child/sibling/father etc. is missing at all - or if they they simply believe they fell out of contact. This is one I really hope to see solved in my lifetime.
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Aug 24, 1989, page 5 - Daily Sitka Sentinel at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com
View the digital scanned newspaper from Daily Sitka Sentinel dated Aug 24, 1989, page 5.
www.newspapers.com
The only thing that makes sense to me is that he wasn’t from the area. Otherwise someone, surely, would have known him or known someone who did.This article says he dove head first from the 30-foot pole early Wednesday (23rd) but didn’t die until Thursday morning (24th) at Humana Hospital. Witnesses saw him “wander” into the parking lot before climbing up the pole. They described him as strolling along like nothing was out of the ordinary other than him being nude. The officer didn’t think he’d been walking around barefoot for very long.Aug 24, 1989, page 5 - Daily Sitka Sentinel at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com
View the digital scanned newspaper from Daily Sitka Sentinel dated Aug 24, 1989, page 5.
As for why he was naked, I’m not sure. Interesting your post mentions he was acting ordinary apart from the lack of clothing, I’m sure I’ve seen other articles mention him running around erratically. Would love to know if anyone heard him speak, even if it was just nonsensical, to get an idea of a language or accent he may have been speaking with. Not sure if such a person exists though.
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It stood out to me too that this article doesn’t describe him as “running” around (like his Doe Net profile mentions). Witnesses also said he ignored them as they tried talking to him.
This is such an unusual case. I’d really like to see him identified.
ETA: Doe Network has a source containing additional information I don’t remember seeing before.
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Here’s a Google street view of the flagpoles (2872 Mountain View Drive). According to the Doe Network source, he climbed the middle, tallest one with the eagle atop it. It seems to me like that would be difficult to do, especially with no clothes or shoes on.
This is actually really useful to picture the scene, thanks! I’m on the opposite side of the world so i probably just pictured as it would look at my local McDonalds, although I suppose they’re probably substantially similar the world over.
Hopefully by keeping the conversation alive, someone like @othram will take note and take the case on sometime down the line.
Have submitted William Calvin as a potential match for 439UMAK to Doe Network.
Similar appearances (at least imo) and Calvin is listed as a dependent adult, which may explain erratic behaviour in immediate lead up to 439UMAK death.
One year unaccounted for between disappearance of William Calvin and death of 439UMAK
Similar appearances (at least imo) and Calvin is listed as a dependent adult, which may explain erratic behaviour in immediate lead up to 439UMAK death.
One year unaccounted for between disappearance of William Calvin and death of 439UMAK
Oakie
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He sounds like a good candidate.
Nell91
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Height and facial hair match. Looks good
William Calvin excluded via dentals & radiograph to confirm.
Very quick turnaround for this one as it was supposedly a ‘high probability match’. Haven’t heard that before.
Hopefully both men can be identified/found in future.
Absolutely amazing he didn't instantly die from a headfirst dive off the top of that flagpole! How he survived until the next day, I'll never know.
I do wonder about him being under the influence of some drug though.
I think it's highly likely.
He probably took something that took away all his inhibitions (he was walking around naked) and also took away all of his fears (he climbed a flagpole and dived off head first).
Someone who knows the late 80s recreational drug scene better than me may be able to advise.
I do wonder about him being under the influence of some drug though.
I think it's highly likely.
He probably took something that took away all his inhibitions (he was walking around naked) and also took away all of his fears (he climbed a flagpole and dived off head first).
Someone who knows the late 80s recreational drug scene better than me may be able to advise.
There’s a lot of conflicting information out there surrounding this doe, unfortunately. Most sources I’ve seen say he died on impact after jumping/falling from flagpole, but as linked by @MadMcGoo above, other sources including the newspaper indicate he survived the fall and died in hospital the next day.
There’s also sources that read his remains were ‘unrecognisable’ despite the fact there are viable post-mortem photographs showing at least the face completely intact, albeit perhaps a little swollen for obvious reasons.
From memory all sources that I’ve seen mention there were no drugs in his system at time of death, which is why I felt there was a chance the now-ruled-out William Calvin may have been a match due to his status as a dependent adult who reportedly had experienced episodes of erratic behaviour before.
Despite the discrepancies none seem so major that it would explain the individual going unidentified for this long for that reason alone. Unfortunately it seems 439UMAK is either somebody whose loved ones aren’t aware they are missing and no longer alive, or a missing person who just hasn’t been linked to the case just yet for one reason or another.
Hi, I have sent in this match through Doe Network - Sławomir Świca:
- Polish
- born in 1951
- 181-185 cm
- brown hair
- fair eyes (they don't provide exact colour)
- There aren't any details of his disappearance available (on the Internet), not even a year. This possibly means that he went missing before the 1990s, maybe even in 1970s.
- Polish
- born in 1951
- 181-185 cm
- brown hair
- fair eyes (they don't provide exact colour)
- There aren't any details of his disappearance available (on the Internet), not even a year. This possibly means that he went missing before the 1990s, maybe even in 1970s.
Another possible match:
www.services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Missing from Saint John, New Brunswick
Missing since: October 1, 1985
Year of birth: 1951
Age at disappearance: 33
Gender: Male
Bio group: White
Eye colour: Blue
Hair: Brown
Height: 185cm / 6ft 1in
Weight: 63kg / 139lb
Canada's Missing | Case details
Edmond Joseph Junior BELLIVEAU
Missing from Saint John, New Brunswick
Missing since: October 1, 1985
Year of birth: 1951
Age at disappearance: 33
Gender: Male
Bio group: White
Eye colour: Blue
Hair: Brown
Height: 185cm / 6ft 1in
Weight: 63kg / 139lb
I found a Russian database for missing people in different thread but I didn't find a match, maybe someone will have a better eye. Most of these men have different type of appearance than him.
If authorities still suspect 439UMAK is from overseas, isotope testing may be of some use to at least identify a region/area/continent the deceased originated from.
That could narrow down the search to missing persons of the matching nationality and introduce some cooperation with a corresponding LE agency.
That could narrow down the search to missing persons of the matching nationality and introduce some cooperation with a corresponding LE agency.