VA VA - Norfolk, WhtMale 16-25, UP120189, Timex watch, wavy long hair, found floating in river near bridge, Mar'73

[ProudSuggestion3528]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
NamUs# UP120189
UID White/Caucasian Male
Norfolk, VA

Case Numbers​

ME/C Case NumberT1973-00001

Demographics​

Biological Sex: Male
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 30
Estimated Age Range (Years): 16-25
Estimated Year of Death: 1973
Estimated PMI: 3 Days
Height: 6' 0"(72 inches) , Measured
Weight: 190 lbs, Measured

Circumstances​

Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: March 25, 1973
NamUs Case Created: April 16, 2024

Location Found Map​

Location: Norfolk, Virginia
County: Norfolk City
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: An unidentified white male was found floating in the Lafayette River near the Hampton Blvd bridge; no evidence of injury, no identifying marks, no items in pockets that could be used to identify him.

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Details of Recovery​

Inventory of Remains: All parts recovered
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction

Physical Description​

Hair Color: Blond/Strawberry
Head Hair Description: Blond hair, wavy and long
Eye Color: Brown

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No Distinctive Physical Features Info Entered​

Clothing and Accessories​

Item	Description	Location
Accessories	Timex wristwatch on left wrist	On the Body
Clothing	T-shirt with the label "Stedman" and size Small 34-36 Jockey shorts "Stedman" brand in size 34 Blue short sleeve dress shirt with "Fleetline" on the label and "16" on the collar Medium red trousers with white pin stripes approx 1 in apart, label "Haggar" Light tan socks Olive drab fur-lined zipper jacket (Heavy)	On the Body
Clothing	Item found in the pocket of the coat: blue swimming trunks, "Sears" label with size "Medium 32-34"	On the Body
Footwear	Black tennis shoes size 12-nonspecific blue ink marks on the white rubber toes (possibly Converse tennis shoes)	On The Body

Media Coverage


0 MP Exclusions/Rule Outs

 

[HmmMysterious]

The only good match I could find on NamUs even though he's 40 pounds lighter: Derran Rogers

 

[subaw0067]

So he was fully clothed with swim trunks in his pocket?

 

[subaw0067]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

This has to be him. I've just submitted the match.

 

[subaw0067]

Hoping for a resolution soon

 

[Richard]

There are indeed some common details between the two cases. There is only about a two week difference between the boy's disappearance and the body recovery. It seems odd, however, that a connection would not have been made in March 1973.

In reading just the Unidentified person information, I see some US Navy connections.

 

[subaw0067]

There are indeed some common details between the two cases. There is only about a two week difference between the boy's disappearance and the body recovery. It seems odd, however, that a connection would not have been made in March 1973.

In reading just the Unidentified person information, I see some US Navy connections.

I don’t think it’s odd. There are so many cases (Daisy Heath comes to mind) where the connection is not made until decades later.

 

[doublestop]

It's pretty much a perfect match. But how on earth could LE (or the parents) have missed this at the time?

 

[Caring1]

Just bringing Darren’s thread over as I had submitted as well on Tuesday. Donna with the VA ME office responded and forwarded to Lara Newell/Long term Unidentified coordinator. We are all on the same page here. Hope we hear something soon.

VA - VA - Darren Hillis, 14, Norfolk, 12 March 1973

Bump

www.websleuths.com

 

[subaw0067]

It's pretty much a perfect match. But how on earth could LE (or the parents) have missed this at the time?

In the age before the internet it was pretty easy to do. John Doe’s case was only added to NAMUS a few days ago.

 

[subaw0067]

It's pretty much a perfect match. But how on earth could LE (or the parents) have missed this at the time?

In the age before the internet it was pretty easy to do. John Doe’s case was only added to NAMUS a few days ago.

 

[doublestop]

In the age before the internet it was pretty easy to do. John Doe’s case was only added to NAMUS a few days ago.

But a body matching the description down to the red pants with white stripes, in the same town, within two weeks of his disappearance?

 

[subaw0067]

Looks like the cases belong to two different agencies.

But a body matching the description down to the red pants with white stripes, in the same town, within two weeks of his disappearance?

 

[summergirl1]

So he was fully clothed with swim trunks in his pocket?

Yeah, swimming trunks in March in VA seems odd, when he was only thought to have been dead 3 days. I'd assume they were for indoor swimming? Perhaps this Doe and the missing person mentioned above will turn out to be a match.

 

[Richard]

Bumping this thread up.

 

[subaw0067]

Still no missing persons exclusions

 

[HopeRains]

Happens all the time, and is heartbreaking every single time. Besides that mentioned above, the media article references the Doe as being 5'10 and over 30; this certainly wouldn't have helped. That's a full 6" shorter, or even 4" if you look at the Doe Namus record than Darren's reported height. And, more than twice the age he was when missing.

 

[Richard]

But a body matching the description down to the red pants with white stripes, in the same town, within two weeks of his disappearance?

It is quite likely that both the "unidentified person" posting and the "missing person" report were issued at the same time. I have seen this on a few previous occasions.