HI HI-Honolulu, WhtMale, 19-29, UP6925, Found hanging by stream on University of Hawaii campus, Jul '87

[phantomstrider]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Date Body Found July 7, 1987
Estimated Age Range 19-29 years
Biological Sex Male
Race/Ethnicity White/Caucasian
Estimated Age Group Adult- Pre 30
Estimated Year of Death 1987
Estimated PMI 4 hours
Height 5'11" (71 inches), Estimated
Weight 143 lbs, Measured
Location Honolulu, Hawaii 96825
County Honolulu County
Circumstances of Recovery Decedent hanged himself by a stream located on the campus of the University of Hawaii.
Inventory of Remains All parts recovered
Condition of Remains Recognizable face
Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description Profuse, short hair
Body Hair Description Brown eyebrows
Left Eye Color Brown
Right Eye Color Brown
Scar/mark Following scars noted: 4cm horizontal, linear at left antecubital fossa; 6cm horizontal, linear at anterior left forearm; 16cm linear vertical at left forearm; two diagonal linear scars above left wrist 5x3cm; 8cm horizontal, linear at right antecubital fossa; 9cm vertical linear at medial aspect of right forearm; 6cm horizontal right lower forearm
Tattoo upper left chest - skull & bones tattoo
Other distinctive physical characteristic circumsized penis;
Accessories Blue towel; green backpack;
Clothing Long sleeve blue/green colored shirt; brown pants; blue colored shorts

 

[Melquiades]

8 large scars on his forearms. Self-harm?

 

[Aurora90]

Isn't a skull and bones tattoo also a Navy tattoo? I always thought this John Doe was from a base. Honestly, if not for the date discrepancy I would have guessed this gentleman.

Keith Garkowski

HI - HI - Keith Garkowski, 18, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 19 Jul 1987

Keith Michael Garkowski Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian Missing Age: 18 Years Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Blue Height: 6' 1" Weight: 165 lbs Clothing: Black shirt, Blue jeans, Black cowboy hat Accessories: Sunglasses Date of Last Contact: July 19, 1987 Last Known Location: Joint Base...

www.websleuths.com

 

[Aurora90]

I did submit others for this John Doe as I always thought he was from a base. Maybe this helped get Keith into Namus?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Such a sad case and a shame he doesn't have a reconstruction.
Can anyone find any old articles about his case?
Does he have exclusions in NamUs?

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

One of these articles does have a reconstruction.

Honolulu John Doe

Clipping found in Honolulu Star-Advertiser published in Honolulu, Hawaii on 7/24/1987. Honolulu John Doe

www.newspapers.com

Honolulu John Doe

Clipping found in Honolulu Star-Advertiser published in Honolulu, Hawaii on 7/27/1987. Honolulu John Doe

www.newspapers.com

 

[Hochman]

One of these articles does have a reconstruction.

Honolulu John Doe

Clipping found in Honolulu Star-Advertiser published in Honolulu, Hawaii on 7/24/1987. Honolulu John Doe

www.newspapers.com

Honolulu John Doe

Clipping found in Honolulu Star-Advertiser published in Honolulu, Hawaii on 7/27/1987. Honolulu John Doe

www.newspapers.com

Reconstruction in news article

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

I wonder if they have DNA for this guy? I believe Hawaii was cremating most of their unidentified remains in this time period, unfortunately.

I looked into Keith Garkowski a bit more. Some articles indicate he was last seen July 18 versus July 19, but no earlier. The first news article I can find about his disappearance is not until August 21, 1987, but I would assume the military's records of when he went AWOL would be fairly accurate.

 

[Aurora90]

Robert Spurlock maybe?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

View attachment 532113View attachment 532114
Robert Spurlock maybe?

I feel this unidentified young man is not in NamUs, because there really aren't any missing young men listed there for Hawaii during the recent years prior to 1987. I looked at Robert, but his eye color is blue, and he disappeared in 1981. It really sounds like something happened to him the day he went missing, but my opinion only.

Also, for anyone able to check, does John Doe have any exclusions?

 

[Fake Protagonist]

Also, for anyone able to check, does John Doe have any exclusions?

Zero exclusions on NamUs.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I feel this unidentified young man is not in NamUs, because there really aren't any missing young men listed there for Hawaii during the recent years prior to 1987. I looked at Robert, but his eye color is blue, and he disappeared in 1981. It really sounds like something happened to him the day he went missing, but my opinion only.

Also, for anyone able to check, does John Doe have any exclusions?

Hawai'i's NAMUS doesn't account for a good chunk of the missing persons on the islands, from what I've found. IMO.

 

[HopeRains]

Makes me really sad. It certainly sounds as if he tried to end his life previously - scars up and down both forearms, his wrist. He marked himself with scars and perhaps even his tattoo which according to the net is closely aligned with danger and death.

Long pants and long sleeve shirt is quite a bit to wear for July in Hawaii - I checked the temps on July 7 and day before and lows were around 72 with highs mid-80. Mid 80 in Hawaii feels much hotter than other places in the US b/c you are closer to the equator. Having said that, his other possessions were a backpack, towel, and shorts - perfect for hanging on the beach during the day. One of the articles mentions "slippers" - in Hawaii, that's a pair of flip flops.

Noting he is listed with recognizable face and Caucasian. I believe this is important because being local/native is a big deal in Hawaii and for most of probably 1/2 the population, they would physically appear to be Asian-Pacific Islander. One of the posted articles does reference him as being light-complexioned.

There has been a very large military presence in Hawaii, across multiple islands, for quite some time. The military often takes care of missing military member cases (or what is typically initially deemed as AWOL) on their own with limited local police involvement, if any. This isn't a Hawaii thing, this is an everywhere there is military thing.

I'm thinking perhaps the location of his suicide is more related to the Japanese Garden instead of the University. The map below shows Manoa Stream, not very big, the Japanese Garden and University. And here is the link to Japanese Garden East-West Center - a lot of meaning in its purpose, design, and laden with symbolism. I don't believe this to be happenstance, I believe tis young man planned this location as the place to end his life.

 

[HopeRains]

I feel this unidentified young man is not in NamUs, because there really aren't any missing young men listed there for Hawaii during the recent years prior to 1987.

He may not have gone missing from Hawaii. Hawaii is a destination location for many different people, for many different reasons.

 

[HopeRains]

This young man went missing in March 1987 and had been experiencing depression.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

John Joseph Broderick

 

[HopeRains]

Long pants and long sleeve shirt is quite a bit to wear for July in Hawaii

It just occurred to me - perhaps he wore a LS shirt in order to avoid questions, etc.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

He may not have gone missing from Hawaii. Hawaii is a destination location for many different people, for many different reasons.

True, of course people may go there without telling anyone back home. But if he was known to have last been in Hawaii, in a perfect world he would be listed as a missing person from Hawaii. It's possible he's listed as missing from another state -- guess that's what we're here for, right?

This young man went missing in March 1987 and had been experiencing depression.

What a sad case.