Identified! CO - Grand Junction, near Walker Wildlife Refuge, WhtMale 18-25, UP8361, Skeletal remains w/ clothing hidden in brush, Nov'92 - Etus "ET" Romero

[YaYa_521]

*NO PHOTOS*

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

CASE NUMBER - 2533UMCO

2533UMCO - Unidentified Male​

Date of Discovery: November 28, 1992
Location of Discovery: Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado
Estimated Date of Death: 1991-1992
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical Description​

Estimated Age: 18 - 25 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'7" - 5'9"
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers​

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not available
DNA: Available

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Green shorts or swim trunks with green and black designs (size 38-inch waist approximately, based on circumference), and a tan to black pull over shirt with band/drawstring at the waist with a logo on the left side of the chest and the sleeves cut off at the biceps
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery​

The victim's skeletal remains with some clothing were found hidden in brush near the Walker Wildlife Refuge near Railroad Boulevard and Railroad Circle.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Colorado Bureau of Investigations
Agency Phone Number: 303-239-5764
Agency Case Number: 92L15659

Agency Name: Mesa County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: Sergeant Henry Stoffel
Agency Phone Number: 970-244-3500
Agency Case Number: 92L15659

Agency Name: Mesa County Coroner's Office
Agency Phone Number: 970-256-6462
Agency Case Number: 92-023

NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 8361

Information Source(s)​

NamUs
Colorado Bureau of Investigations

Admin Notes​

Added: 2/20/15; Last Updated: 9/16/18

 

[dotr]

After 31 years, Mesa County John Doe (1992) is Identified

Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and Mesa County Coroner's Office Partner with Othram to Identify a 1992 John Doe

dnasolves.com

''Summary​

In November 1992, the skeletal remains of an unidentified man were discovered hidden in brush near River Road and the Walter Walker State Wildlife Area. The skeletal remains were incomplete as the unidentified man's skull was not recovered from the scene. Investigators found several articles of clothing along with the remains, including a tan pull over t-shirt, and a pair of green swim trunks bearing an inscription with a Marshing, Idaho phone number. Investigators believe that the man was white, between 18 and 25 years old, and that that he likely died within a year before his remains were recovered. They also determined that he was 5’8” tall and had brown hair.

For the nearly thirty years since the discovery of the man's remains, investigators have diligently pursued various leads, in hopes of uncovering the his identity. In January 2011, the case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). The case is logged as #UP8361. However in spite the investigative effort, all leads have been exhausted and the case has gone cold.

in 2022, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and the Mesa County Coroner's Office partnered with Othram to leverage Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to generate new leads that might establish an identity for the man or a close family member. Anyone with information that could aid in this investigation is encouraged to contact the Mesa County Coroner's Office by calling 970-244-1898 and referencing agency case 92-023. A DNASolves fund has been created to cover the costs associated with laboratory testing and genetic genealogy research. Anyone that wants to assist, can help fund the case here.''

 

[MarziPanda]

Interesting info about the swimming trunks having an Idaho phone number. I assume that lead was followed at the time and didn't pan out. He may have bought the swim trunks second hand, in which case he may have been from Idaho. Or whoever originally owned them was from there and just happened to donate them in Colorado or wherever Doe was from. It would be interesting to know who owned the phone number. I don't think a store or manufacturer would put their phone number in a pair of swim trunks. EDIT: from the looks of the trunks in the MSM link below, it seems it was actually a manufacturer who put the number in?

Having looked through Idaho missing people instead of Colorado, there are a couple possibilities.

Jose Alejandro Rodriguez went missing November 1991, a year before this Doe was found. He wasn't reported missing (by his mother EDIT: MSM link below says sister, not mother) until 2005 (so would not have turned up as a possibility at the time). Nov 91 was the last time she heard from him. He's Hispanic, but Hispanic people can be white and we know skeletal remains have been labelled wrong before. He's 5'8 and would have been 20 at the time. Where he went missing from, Nampa, is just a 25 minute drive from Marsing, where the phone number in the trunks was from. His hair was black but after a year in the elements I suppose it's possible it could appear brown. No picture.

Travis A Randall went missing in 1990 at the age of 19. He was white, 5'7 with brown hair. He fits the profile but went missing from St Maries, an almost seven hour drive from Marsing, but I suppose some trunks from Marsing could have ended up in St Maries. No circumstances of disappearance on NAMUS but his Charley Project states he was carrying a rifle and two rounds of ammunition when he went missing, and he was depressed. He was wearing spandex shorts, sneakers, and no shirt. I don't think the circumstances match unless he ran into foul play and someone dumped him that far (and put a shirt on him). Sadly I think it's more likely he harmed himself.

Colorado has several possibilities but I would assume (or hope) they've been ruled out.


EDIT: Having looked Jose up more, it seems he was considered for this Doe back in 2019. Since they've gone to Othram I assume this lead didn't pan out and it wasn't him. Or they're still searching for his family and hope this will help to locate them. This MSM link also says the Doe was stabbed.

 

[Caring1]

2 Missing Person Exclusions

Missing Person / NamUs #MP5274Robert Pillsen-Rahier
Date of Last ContactJuly 06, 1990
StateCO
CountyEl Paso

Missing Person / NamUs #MP9249Michael Meteer
Date of Last ContactOctober 17, 1985
StateCO
CountyBoulder

 

[MarziPanda]

Interesting that Jose isn't listed as an exclusion, but maybe it just hasn't been updated.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

After 31 years, Mesa County John Doe (1992) is Identified

Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and Mesa County Coroner's Office Partner with Othram to Identify a 1992 John Doe

dnasolves.com

 

[Caring1]

There are now 4 Missing Person Exclusions

 

[iulia]

The NamUs page for this Doe has been removed.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

The NamUs page for this Doe has been removed.

Maybe he was identified?

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Identified as Etus Thomas “ET” Romero:

After 31 years, Mesa County John Doe (1992) is Identified

Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and Mesa County Coroner's Office Partner with Othram to Identify a 1992 John Doe

dnasolves.com

 

[iamshadow21]

Sleep well, ET.

 

[Melt71]

Welcome home, Etus.