Identified! MO - Cape Girardeau Co, WhtMale 40-90, UP14558, unknown circumstances of discovery, Aug'80 - Louis Charles Borchers

[YaYa_521]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

*NO IMAGES*

NamUs #UP14558
NamUs Case Created December 8, 2015
ME/C Case Number CSD2021-000573
Male, White / Caucasian
Date Body Found August 1, 1980
Estimated Year of Death 1970-1980
Estimated PMI--
Inventory of Remains All parts recovered
Condition of Remains Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton
Location Found Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Estimated Age Range 40-90 Years
Height 5' 5"-5' 7"(65-67 inches) , Estimated
Weight Cannot Estimate
Hair Color Unknown
Eye Color Unknown

Circumstances of Recovery - Small amounts of soft tissue adhere to these mostly skeletonized remains. The circumstances of their original discovery (including exact location-- although presumably from within Cape Girardeau County) are currently unknown. Investigation is ongoing.

 

[othram]

SOLVED: After 43 years, Cape Girardeau County John Doe is Identified

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Using these investigative leads along with the coroner’s report, SEMO anthropology students searched newspaper archives for any information related to missing persons or skeletal remains that might help shed light on this John Doe's identity. Over the course of this work, a student located articles from July of 1980 describing skeletal remains that were recovered from a farm near Gordonville, MO, which matched the anthropological profile and the timeline developed for these remains. Information in these articles also indicated that these remains were identified at the time as likely belonging to an individual whose surname was represented in the genealogy data. Using this information, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's investigators reached out to the closest living relative of that individual to obtain a comparative DNA sample. Follow-up DNA testing confirmed that Cape Girardeau County John Doe is, in fact, Louis Charles Borchers of Gordonville, Missouri.

Mr. Borchers’ grandparents were born in Germany, making the genealogical research in this case particularly challenging. He was last seen alive in February of 1980 when he was almost 60 years old. He had been institutionalized at the Farmington State Mental Hospital, approximately 63 miles away from Gordonville. Records indicate that he walked away from the hospital and was not heard from again. The wooded area where his skeletonized remains were ultimately discovered was on land that had previously been owned by his family and where he was known to have enjoyed spending time in his younger years. At this time, no foul play is suspected in his death.

 

[MarziPanda]

It looks like some real detective work happened in this case! Lots of people putting in effort to gather the pieces of the puzzle.

This case also highlights the importance of proper record keeping. He was identified more or less when he was found, and then his remains were (I guess?) probably put in a box for later, not labelled, no paperwork kept about him, and he was forgotten about. Good job Othram for giving him his name back again.

RIP Louis.