Australia Australia - Tamam Shud Case - Male, Dec 1948

[GatorFL]

As for Somerton Man (we have a thread on him already, it has many pages), I am still waiting for his exhumation results. Prof. Abbott got permission for exhumation in 2019 or 2018, but so far no news.

Can you link the thread here? I searched "Somerton Man" and "Tamam Shud" and got this one. Found it odd there was not an extensive thread on him.

 

[lonewanderer]

I had never noticed the K on the bus ticket, which is quite a lot like the K from Keane found on his shirt.

There is supposedly a laundry bag with Keane also, but I have never seen a picture of it.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Australia - Australia - "Somerton Man" found dead on Somerton Park beach, near Adelaide, 1 Dec 1948

Australia - Australia - Tamam Shud Case - Male, Dec 1948

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Somerton Man to be exhumed by police in attempt to solve mystery

The remains of the mysterious Somerton Man will be exhumed by police in the hope that DNA samples could solve the case that has baffled detectives, researchers and amateur sleuths for more than seven decades.

After years of public discussion about digging up his remains, SA Police has now had an exhumation order approved by Attorney-General Vickie Chapman, who said the case had generated "intense public interest".

"This man could be someone's father, brother or cousin, and those relatives and friends deserve answers," she said.

"South Australia Police has since come to me with the funding and an application, and I have approved it.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray, from SA Police's Major Crime division, said that improvements in technology would give forensic experts the best chance yet "to possibly identify the man through his DNA".

"I won't speculate on how this man died, but there may also be potential to establish a definitive cause of death," he said.

SA Police will work with Forensic Science SA scientific staff and the Adelaide Cemeteries Authority to carry out the exhumation and reinterment of the man's body.

While a date for the exhumation has not yet been determined, Forensic Science SA director Linzi Wilson-Wilde said it would likely be in the "short term", and that the remains would be transferred to a laboratory for analysis.

"It's going to be extremely challenging in a technical sense — the remains have been buried for over 70 years and, in addition, the body was embalmed which adds further complications," Dr Wilson-Wilde said.

 

[Kemug]

Betcha his identity is known already and has been for some time, via dna from hair found in the plaster cast, but can’t be confirmed without dna from the body itself.

I seem to remember reading that the experts were unable to get any DNA from the strands of hair?

 

[Magnum P.E.]

I seem to remember reading that the experts were unable to get any DNA from the strands of hair?

I don’t remember hearing that but if true, there is another possibility: dna from SM’s purported granddaughter has turned up someone who fit his description and went missing in 48. In that case, they would have to exhume to prove his identity, but might be all but sure of it beforehand.

 

[glamourkitty1922]

Just heard from LordenArts that the police got an exhumation order approved and they have funding for DNA testing. We might be finding his name soon!

 

[Susikatze]

I jumped up for joy when I read that. Just a few days after I was sad that nothing seemed to move forward the last 2 years. But behind the scenes it did nicely.
We will find out who he was and whether Robin was really his lovechild or not.
I hope they get useable DNA from him.

 

[Angleterre]

Somerton Man to be exhumed by police in attempt to solve mystery

The remains of the mysterious Somerton Man will be exhumed by police in the hope that DNA samples could solve the case that has baffled detectives, researchers and amateur sleuths for more than seven decades.

After years of public discussion about digging up his remains, SA Police has now had an exhumation order approved by Attorney-General Vickie Chapman, who said the case had generated "intense public interest".

"This man could be someone's father, brother or cousin, and those relatives and friends deserve answers," she said.

"South Australia Police has since come to me with the funding and an application, and I have approved it.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray, from SA Police's Major Crime division, said that improvements in technology would give forensic experts the best chance yet "to possibly identify the man through his DNA".

"I won't speculate on how this man died, but there may also be potential to establish a definitive cause of death," he said.

SA Police will work with Forensic Science SA scientific staff and the Adelaide Cemeteries Authority to carry out the exhumation and reinterment of the man's body.

While a date for the exhumation has not yet been determined, Forensic Science SA director Linzi Wilson-Wilde said it would likely be in the "short term", and that the remains would be transferred to a laboratory for analysis.

"It's going to be extremely challenging in a technical sense — the remains have been buried for over 70 years and, in addition, the body was embalmed which adds further complications," Dr Wilson-Wilde said.

Excellent news albeit I know a little about this process having been involved in bodily exhumation during my work as a Senior Murder Detective Investigator and it will be exceptionally challenging to be able to obtain sufficient evidence/ material to work with and from in order to make further deductions as to the identification of sommerton man and the embalming is yet another layer of complexity that may be a Barr to achieving what we would like to achieve, however, being a positive person, I will not give up hope. Thank you @tootsie Footsie for your informative post

 

[Angleterre]

And the love of ballet from a very young age - like the deceased whose legs and feet were believed to be shaped by the harsh disciplines of dancing.

Really?

 

[Kemug]

Even if we never discover his name, at least we will know if Robin was his son. I believe he was.

 

[Beagle]

Somerton Man exhumed in hope of solving decades-long mystery

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Somerton Man exhumed in hope of solving decades-long mystery

After several lines of enquiry over the years have left authorities stumped, detectives will today dig up the man's body from a grave at West Terrace Cemetery with permission from SA's Attorney-General, Vickie Chapman.
SA Police Detective Superintendent Des Bray said exhuming the man's body will allow investigators to get a full and complete DNA profile of the man.
"Whether we're successful or not is yet to be determined," Supt Bray told Today.

 

[Kemug]

I am wondering if his first name was Robert? Robin being its diminutive. Just a thought.

 

[Gibbo214]

I am wondering if his first name was Robert? Robin being its diminutive. Just a thought.

I have never heard of Robin being a diminutive of Robert.

 

[Kemug]

Not much these days, but historically in Europe.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I'm not sure now if the body has been exhumed or not. This article from 11.30 am this morning.

Somerton Man dig delayed, remains deeper than anticipated

The exhumation of the Somerton Man has been delayed, with his remains believed to be buried deeper than first thought.
Detectives started digging this morning, after getting permission from South Australia's Attorney-General to extract DNA as part of their investigation.
But dense clay and no knowledge of if he is buried in a coffin, or its condition, has delayed the process by a few hours.


And then there's this:

Body of Somerton man has been exhumed

Following approval by the Attorney-General Vickie Chapman, his body was exhumed on Wednesday, May 19.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

'Tamam Shud' and the five other clues that have failed to solve the Somerton Man mystery

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Somerton man: Body exhumed in bid to solve Australian mystery

The body of a man found on a South Australian beach more than 70 years ago is being exhumed in the hope of solving one of the country's most intriguing mysteries.

 

[Loxoli]

The remains were complete and in ‘reasonable condition’.

Somerton Man's remains exhumed after day-long dig at Adelaide cemetery