MT MT - Whitefish, WhtMale 25-30, UP126741, skeletal remains in a heavily forested area, two tone blue jacket, trousers, Oct'88

[Romulus]

Unidentified Person/NamUs #UP126741
Male, White/Caucasian
Date Body Found: October 25, 1988
Location Found: Whitefish, Montana
Estimated Age Range: 25-30 Years

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Adult - Pre 30
Estimated Age Range (Years): 25-30
Estimated Year of Death: 1983-1986
Estimated PMI--
Height: Cannot Estimate
Weight: Cannot Estimate

Circumstances​

Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: October 25, 1988
NamUs Case Created: August 1, 2024
ME/C QA Reviewed--

Location Found Map​

Location: Whitefish, Montana 59937
County: Flathead County
GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped): Section 22 Township 32N Range W
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: Skeletal remains found in a heavily forested area by a logging operation crew.

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Details of Recovery​

Inventory of Remains--
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only

Physical Description​

Hair Color: Unknown
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye Color: Unknown
Right Eye Color: Unknown
Eye Description--

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Distinctive Physical Features​

No Information Entered​

Clothing and Accessories​

Item
Description
Clothing: Two tone blue jacket size 38-42
Trousers size 33/36.

 

[Tuck]

Information:

Interesting case. From my understanding, it is a suspected homicide, and the initial (a skull in October of 1988) and subsequent remains/personal effects (clothing and additional bones in October 1989) were located a year apart.

A couple of other details:

• The initial remains were located between Whitefish and Olney in Montana, around two miles east of U.S. Highway 93. The subsequent remains (including the coat and jeans referenced in the NamUs file, which makes me think everything was linked together) were located 100 yards away.
• The skull had a bullet hole in it, which was linked to a .357-caliber rifle. A couple of quick points here which lean in favour of homicide - no rifle was located at the scene, and the trajectory of the bullet entry was consistent with murder.
• The initial estimates stated that the remains had been at the site for 10-20 years, but this was later revised to around 5 years.
• The remains were investigated in relation to missing person Gerald DeWall, who apparently may have disappeared in the Whitefish area after last being seen in Kalispell in 1977. I wasn't able to find any more information about how that line of enquiry proceeded.

References:

Great Falls Tribune - 27 October 1988

The Montana Standard - 14 October 1989

 

[jules39osu]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

I wonder if Wayne Hickman has been compared?

 

[Warwick1991]

Information:

Interesting case. From my understanding, it is a suspected homicide, and the initial (a skull in October of 1988) and subsequent remains/personal effects (clothing and additional bones in October 1989) were located a year apart.

A couple of other details:

• The initial remains were located between Whitefish and Olney in Montana, around two miles east of U.S. Highway 93. The subsequent remains (including the coat and jeans referenced in the NamUs file, which makes me think everything was linked together) were located 100 yards away.
• The skull had a bullet hole in it, which was linked to a .357-caliber rifle. A couple of quick points here which lean in favour of homicide - no rifle was located at the scene, and the trajectory of the bullet entry was consistent with murder.
• The initial estimates stated that the remains had been at the site for 10-20 years, but this was later revised to around 5 years.
• The remains were investigated in relation to missing person Gerald DeWall, who apparently may have disappeared in the Whitefish area after last being seen in Kalispell in 1977. I wasn't able to find any more information about how that line of enquiry proceeded.

References:

Great Falls Tribune - 27 October 1988

The Montana Standard - 14 October 1989

The .357 cartridge (actually.357 magnum) is usually a revolver cartridge, although there are some lever action carbines that fire .357 cartridges, and a few semi-automatic pistols as well. I'm curious why it was thought to be a rifle vs a revolver or pistol.

Neither of the newspaper articles linked can be accessed; there's a paywall