Resolved WA - Whatcom Co, WhtMale 33-55, UP13270, Metal rod in leg, Jan'2014 - NamUs removed

[HmmMysterious]

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP13270
https://www.reddit.com/r/Unresolved...d_an_extremely_unlikely_coincidence/?sort=new

The victim was found on January 1, 2014 in a rural, wooded area in Whatcom County, Washington.
Cause of death: Unknown
Estimated date of death: 1998-2013
Mummified and unrecognizable

From NamUs:

• Estimated Age: 33-55 years old
  
• Estimated height and weight: 5'5, weight impossible to determine
  
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Metal rod implanted in right femur, was shipped in the fall of 1998 based on lot number imprinted on it
• Clothing: None
• Dentals: Unavailable
  
• Fingerprints: Unavailable

Only one exclusion and that person is Joshua Korvin, (WA - WA - Joshua Korvin, 29, Mount Vernon, 17 March 2004)

I still can't let go of the possibility that this Doe might be Leah Roberts. She also had a metal rod implanted in her right femur. The rod on this John Doe was shipped at the time Roberts had her surgery. She disappeared in the same area that this John Doe was found in. And she was just an inch taller than this Doe. The only things off are the age and gender, however this HAS happened before.

Leah Roberts has NOT been ruled out as a possible identity yet. More info on her: WA - WA - Leah Roberts, 23, Whatcom Co, 13 Mar 2000

 

[P. Kitty]

Only person I can find with any metal implants near or around that area is Benjamin Munoz.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Height, sex, location and age matches. Only thing is they have it listed in his left ankle on his NAMUS, which could be reported wrong. Maybe he had a femur rod as well?

 

[HmmMysterious]

Only person I can find with any metal implants near or around that area is Benjamin Munoz.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Height, sex, location and age matches. Only thing is they have it listed in his left ankle on his NAMUS, which could be reported wrong. Maybe he had a femur rod as well?

I think you should submit him. I really hope it was reported wrong because everything else does match.

 

[HmmMysterious]

I have submitted Leah Roberts as a possible candidate for this John Doe on NamUs. I will also send in Benjamin Munoz. Thanks for the suggestion P. Kitty.

 

[P. Kitty]

Thanks so much. Hopefully we can bring whoever this is home.

 

[Springrain]

I've heard of the theory that this is Leah Roberts. Not sure what to think.

 

[HmmMysterious]

The regional program specialist for this John Doe informed me yesterday that NamUs is reviewing Munoz and Roberts as possible candidates. I will keep everyone updated on this.

 

[P. Kitty]

The regional program specialist for this John Doe informed me yesterday that NamUs is reviewing Munoz and Roberts as possible candidates. I will keep everyone updated on this.

That's wonderful! Looking forward to updates!

 

[breachtones]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is Leah. Not the first time and certainly not the last time they've misidentified the vitals of a doe. Tymon Emily was thought to be a black male in his 40s, David D'Alton was thought to be a girl, list goes on and on..

 

[HmmMysterious]

Hmm...MYSTERIOUS.

The NamUs page is GONE .

 

[Springrain]

Hmm...MYSTERIOUS.

The NamUs page is GONE .

Wow! I have to wonder if this is Benjamin Munoz.

 

[HmmMysterious]

Wow! I have to wonder if this is Benjamin Munoz.

I just checked NamUs. He's still there along with Leah Roberts. Both of them haven't been excluded for this John Doe.

 

[HmmMysterious]

The regional program specialist sent me an email today saying that NamUs can’t comment on cases that are no longer publicly accessible. I wonder if they’re updating information on this JD or if he really has been identified. @CarlK90245 what do you think?

 

[carbuff]

Hmm...MYSTERIOUS.

The NamUs page is GONE .

It seems highly coincidental that last week they said they'd look into Munoz and Roberts and this week the UID's page is down.

On the other hand, they don't usually work that fast. More likely it's a potential match that's been in the works for a while.

 

[P. Kitty]

I really hope we get answers soon! I hope a family has found some relief tonight.

 

[Melt71]

@HmmMysterious mystery indeed, as we know cases can be hidden from public view if needed. I wonder if they think one of the submissions is a likely match and have gone off public view, but can’t yet say that it’s actually solved.

 

[PNW-Mama]

Hello there- I live in Bellingham and signed up today to tell you all about the public records request I put in 2 weeks ago, and the bizarre phone call I got in response to that.
So, I was interested in the UP 13270 case. I drive up Mt. Baker Hwy a lot. Ya know what is strange?
The fact that Mt. Baker is ALWAYS covered in snow, year round, because of it's elevation. On January 1, 2014 the date the Doe's "mummified remains" were found, there would have been a LOT of snow there. How did someone just happen upon a really random, densely forested, random (no trails, slight [logging?] "road" that I have been to before-- it's not maintained, paved, and really hard to get into, etc.), walk around, in snow, and then say "hmmm I think there's a body... *randomly points* umm, right there" and then boom, under FEET of snow, there's just... a body there? I think that is SO weird!
Anyways, I digress.
So, I thought that was weird and I wanted the police report that would literally just explain the circumstances of HOW it was found, possibly name WHO found it, etc.
My request for records was as follows "any information regarding the unidentified remains, later classified as a John Doe, found near Glacier, WA on 01/01/2014". That was IT. I did NOT mention Leah Roberts, Reddit and the link between UP 13270 and Leah, etc. At the bottom it says "MAY TAKE 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS TO FIND RESULTS"
I got a call, less than 24 hours later. Remember, I live right down the road from the police dept. I am a local

The woman's first question, after asking my name was "So I'm guessing you think this is linked to the Leah Roberts case?"
I said "uhhh, well, yes, perhaps, but my focus somewhat shifted lately and I am just trying to find who that person was, and maybe dig into finding their identity to help find some closure for the family "
Long pause.
Woman (County Clerk's Office): "Mmm-hmm well I just spoke with the detectives this morning, and they actually just identified the person, through the family. Quietly, so you don't need to look into it"
Me: "Oh my goodness, that's... that's great. (quietly, and kind of stunned).
Woman: "Yep, so you don't have to go on Reddit or Google or whatever. The family just did it privately. So, you can leave it alone"
Me: Oh, uh yes. Okay. Well I am happy they found out who it was. Well, I still might want to see the police report, I am just really interested in that area. I wanted to go up there with a metal detector. Up to near Glacier, where the body was found"
Woman: "Oh, Glacier? Oh you're talking about the one found near the Canadian border, or .. Glacier?"
Me: "The one (me thinking, there's MORE than one?? Wtf...)?"
Woman: Oh, no I meant, yeah no there's just one (she sounded like, idk like she caught herself like she slipped and said something she wasn't supposed to?)
Me: "Oh, okay" (I was standing in the middle of Value Village on Meridian, dumfounded as to what to say or do, I had JUST filled the request out the day before...)
Woman: "Okay then, well there you go, I'm going to send you an email saying NO results were found for your inquiry, does that sound good?"
Me: "Umm.... okay. I just wanted the info for HOW the body was found"
Woman-- hung up.

So. Yeah. Super, super weird. I too called the Namus regional director, got her VM, left several messages. I figured hey, if that woman was lying, I'll make her tip her hand and the NAMUS site WONT change, and I'll know. And if it WAS identified, they'll update it.

And now today, there's the NAMUS site GONE.

So, just wanted to tell SOMEONE that. It's so strange. I literally just wanted to look into the Doe, more than Leah Roberts. Maybe find some... evidence that wasn't recovered or idk what I thought I was gonna do. I'm a full time student, and a mom. I just, was interested in trying to connect some dots. I thought how sad those remains lie there for 8 years, some family probably worried and saddened for their loved one who was missing.

 

[HmmMysterious]

It's a little weird that the woman immediately assumed you were going to mention Leah Roberts. It sounds like the body isn't her, so maybe the timing of me submitting candidates was coincidental. Anyway, I'm glad this John Doe has been identified. I hope there's a press conference soon.

There is actually more than one Whatcom County John Doe- three others in fact: 1987, 2019, and 2021.

 

[breachtones]

It's a little weird that the woman immediately assumed you were going to mention Leah Roberts. It sounds like the body isn't her, so maybe the timing of me submitting candidates was coincidental. Anyway, I'm glad this John Doe has been identified. I hope there's a press conference soon.

There is actually more than one Whatcom County John Doe- three others in fact: 1987, 2019, and 2021.

The other two are completely different, the 1987 GP West Doe and 2021's Locust Beach Doe.
The 2019 Whatcom County John Doe was surprisingly found near Glacier too... A logging road 2.5 miles southwest of Glacier by the West Cornell Creek. Perhaps that's who they confused it with.

 

[sasha17]

Hello there- I live in Bellingham and signed up today to tell you all about the public records request I put in 2 weeks ago, and the bizarre phone call I got in response to that.
So, I was interested in the UP 13270 case. I drive up Mt. Baker Hwy a lot. Ya know what is strange?
The fact that Mt. Baker is ALWAYS covered in snow, year round, because of it's elevation. On January 1, 2014 the date the Doe's "mummified remains" were found, there would have been a LOT of snow there. How did someone just happen upon a really random, densely forested, random (no trails, slight [logging?] "road" that I have been to before-- it's not maintained, paved, and really hard to get into, etc.), walk around, in snow, and then say "hmmm I think there's a body... *randomly points* umm, right there" and then boom, under FEET of snow, there's just... a body there? I think that is SO weird!
Anyways, I digress.
So, I thought that was weird and I wanted the police report that would literally just explain the circumstances of HOW it was found, possibly name WHO found it, etc.
My request for records was as follows "any information regarding the unidentified remains, later classified as a John Doe, found near Glacier, WA on 01/01/2014". That was IT. I did NOT mention Leah Roberts, Reddit and the link between UP 13270 and Leah, etc. At the bottom it says "MAY TAKE 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS TO FIND RESULTS"
I got a call, less than 24 hours later. Remember, I live right down the road from the police dept. I am a local

The woman's first question, after asking my name was "So I'm guessing you think this is linked to the Leah Roberts case?"
I said "uhhh, well, yes, perhaps, but my focus somewhat shifted lately and I am just trying to find who that person was, and maybe dig into finding their identity to help find some closure for the family "
Long pause.
Woman (County Clerk's Office): "Mmm-hmm well I just spoke with the detectives this morning, and they actually just identified the person, through the family. Quietly, so you don't need to look into it"
Me: "Oh my goodness, that's... that's great. (quietly, and kind of stunned).
Woman: "Yep, so you don't have to go on Reddit or Google or whatever. The family just did it privately. So, you can leave it alone"
Me: Oh, uh yes. Okay. Well I am happy they found out who it was. Well, I still might want to see the police report, I am just really interested in that area. I wanted to go up there with a metal detector. Up to near Glacier, where the body was found"
Woman: "Oh, Glacier? Oh you're talking about the one found near the Canadian border, or .. Glacier?"
Me: "The one (me thinking, there's MORE than one?? Wtf...)?"
Woman: Oh, no I meant, yeah no there's just one (she sounded like, idk like she caught herself like she slipped and said something she wasn't supposed to?)
Me: "Oh, okay" (I was standing in the middle of Value Village on Meridian, dumfounded as to what to say or do, I had JUST filled the request out the day before...)
Woman: "Okay then, well there you go, I'm going to send you an email saying NO results were found for your inquiry, does that sound good?"
Me: "Umm.... okay. I just wanted the info for HOW the body was found"
Woman-- hung up.

So. Yeah. Super, super weird. I too called the Namus regional director, got her VM, left several messages. I figured hey, if that woman was lying, I'll make her tip her hand and the NAMUS site WONT change, and I'll know. And if it WAS identified, they'll update it.

And now today, there's the NAMUS site GONE.

So, just wanted to tell SOMEONE that. It's so strange. I literally just wanted to look into the Doe, more than Leah Roberts. Maybe find some... evidence that wasn't recovered or idk what I thought I was gonna do. I'm a full time student, and a mom. I just, was interested in trying to connect some dots. I thought how sad those remains lie there for 8 years, some family probably worried and saddened for their loved one who was missing.

That is quite bizarre. It also seems strange to me that it seems like she was trying to refuse to respond to your public information request which seems... unethical? You're still entitled to receive the public information, even if the person was identified.