AZ AZ - Grand Canyon, Coconino Co., WhtMale, around 18-22 years, "the Kolb Skeleton," Feb'77 OR Jun'33

[lightofmine99]

The "Kolb Skeleton" c. 1933 / 1977

Reconstruction by Stephen Missal (left) firearm found with remains at scene (right)

• Date of Discovery: June 4, 1933 / February 17, 1977
• Location of Discovery: Grand Canyon, Coconino County, Arizona
• Estimated Date of Death: 18 months prior (1932 or 1931)
• State of Remains: Skeletal
• Cause of Death: Suicide by gunshot

Physical Description

• Estimated Age: 18-22 years old
• Race: White
• Sex: Male
• Height: 6'0"
• Weight: Unknown
• Hair Color: Unknown
• Eye Color: Unknown
• Distinguishing Marks/Features: Possibly right-handed, based on position of firearm.
• Dentals: Unknown
• Fingerprints: N/A
• DNA: Available

Affects

• Clothing: "Cheap" clothing, including khaki trousers; a white, cotton shirt; a sandal; and belt.
• Jewelry: Unknown.
• Personal Items: pocketbook and a .22 or .32 caliber pistol.

Circumstances
The decedent was found in a boat in Emery Kolb's garage in 1977 (Kolb deceased in 1976). Originally rumored to be Glenn Hyde, the anthropology analysis determined that the decedent was too young to be Glenn Hyde. Further recent investigation found archived images from 1933 of the decedent in a skeletonized state laying on the edge of Shoshone Point, Grand Canyon with the .22 revolver near the right hand. A round defect is on the right side of the skull and a .22 calibur bullet was recovered from inside the skull. (per NamUs)

Additional Information / Research
The skeleton of a young adult male was discovered on June 4, 1933 in the Grand Canyon, on a cliff near Shoshone Point, by famous photographer Emery Kolb (15 Feb 1881 - 11 Dec 1976). A .22 or .32 caliber pistol was found near the skeleton's right hand. A bullet hole was located on the skull. Kolb photographed the skeleton and then evidently took the bones from the scene.

The bones were later rediscovered in Kolb's garage in either February 1976 or 1977; the date also changes from the 7th or the 17th. May 12, 1980 is also listed as a "rediscovery" date. I personally think February 1977 is more likely as it would make sense for people to be cleaning out Kolb's property after his passing.

Kolb's photograph of the skeleton taken in 1933 was used to verify that the individual found at his garage was the same person.

The remains were placed inside of a boat mounted in the rafters of the building, with fragmented clothing. Kolb was previously involved in coroner's juries, but it is unknown why the remains were not released to the coroner.

For further speculation, Kolb was reportedly the last person to see Glenn and Bessie Hyde, who disappeared during their honeymoon trip along the Colorado River in 1928. Glenn wanted to set a new speed record and, had the Hydes succeeded in their river running expedition, Bonnie would have been the first woman on record to do that route.

Kolb photographed the couple when they encountered him during a stop at the South Rim. Because of this, the bones were initially presumed to be those of Glenn. Examination of the remains indicated the decedent was too young to be Glenn Hyde; superimposition of his photograph over the decedent's skull also disputed this theory.

The case was featured on a 1987 episode of Unsolved Mysteries in relation to the disappearance of the Hyde couple. Kolb's connection to the missing couple added fuel to the already existing fire of speculation surrounding their disappearance.

Stephen Missal produced a facial reconstruction of the John Doe; I can't find a date for this. The so-called "Kolb Skeleton" was featured in an episode of Unsolved Mysteries in 1987: the fourth special prior to the official first season.

Based on a 2009 article in the Williams-Grand Canyon News, the skeleton seems to be stored in the Grand Canyon National Park Museum.

Photos
This skeleton apparently is not the first set of remains Kolb has photographed, as I have found several of his Grand Canyon images with wildly different dates that feature skeletons. This is not very shocking to me as many go missing in the Grand Canyon and national parks in general. This skeleton seems like an exception, having succumbed to suicidal thoughts instead of the elements. In the 1987 Unsolved Mysteries episode, they appear to be examining the skeleton, but I'm actually not very familiar with this series so I don't know how much is recreation VS the real thing. There is also a photo on the Unsolved Mysteries wiki of a skeleton laying in the Grand Canyon; I am again not sure if this is the real photo Kolb took. The discussion of the skeleton begins at 30:00.

Spoiler: NSFW? SKELETON SCREENSHOT

Links
Doe Network: 3315UMAZ
NamUs: #UP9860
Emery Kolb's Find a Grave
Arizona Sun Article (2008) NSFW
Grand Canyon News (2009) NSFW
Unsolved Mysteries (1987) 30:00

 

[Kamiko123132]

Now This is one weird way tryna figure out did Kolb killed this person or did not because how did this even just got founded not to mention its the fact they found the photos.. not sure what happened anyways but tis kinda intersting

 

[Beekarina]

Crazy!

There really is not anyone in Namus who seems a reasonable possibility. The closest I can find is a young man who was missing from ND, last contact around 1925. (Census records, so this could be within a few years after.)

Seems this photo/remains is probably someone not listed as missing?

This is the gentleman from ND, just for the sake of slim chnaces: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Kamiko123132]

Just realizedI think I found the picture of the skull sideways.. yea um Idk if this is this guy but it looks like theres a hole in the skull on the side

 

[lightofmine99]

Now This is one weird way tryna figure out did Kolb killed this person or did not because how did this even just got founded not to mention its the fact they found the photos.. not sure what happened anyways but tis kinda intersting

I doubt Emery Kolb killed this person. I think he stumbled upon the remains and, being a photographer of the Grand Canyon, snapped a few photos. I only dabble in photography but I can't say I wouldn't take a picture.

As to why he took the skeleton home, who knows. Maybe he brought them back with the intention of alerting authorities and then never did. You also have to consider that LE/the state/medical examiners weren't always as adept at keeping remains around (how many Does documented here have been lost or destroyed?). Maybe the people he told straight up told him to keep it or bury it somewhere cause "we don't have time or care" (or something) and the Doe remained in his garage until it was found by people who did care.

 

[Kamiko123132]

I doubt Emery Kolb killed this person. I think he stumbled upon the remains and, being a photographer of the Grand Canyon, snapped a few photos. I only dabble in photography but I can't say I wouldn't take a picture.

As to why he took the skeleton home, who knows. Maybe he brought them back with the intention of alerting authorities and then never did. You also have to consider that LE/the state/medical examiners weren't always as adept at keeping remains around (how many Does documented here have been lost or destroyed?). Maybe the people he told straight up told him to keep it or bury it somewhere cause "we don't have time or care" (or something) and the Doe remained in his garage until it was found by people who did care.

Yea but that does make it weird why would he took a photo like it sounds werid now but it could've been different back then. but that doesn't make sense on why he took the skeleton home? there was no reason for him as i see it unless he knew. but because that man is dead no way of knowing of why

 

[Beekarina]

The date the photo was taken by Kolb is 100% certain and established? IF there is any wiggle room for the date of Kolb's photo, I would suggest Joseph Laurence Halpern:

He was 22, a doctoral student, a known hiker, and interesting background:

4185DMCO - Joseph Laurence Halpern

"

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Mr. Halpern, a doctoral candidate in astronomy at the University of Chicago, disappeared on August 14, 1933 while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park near Taylor Peak. He disappeared when he started up the peak alone when his friend, Joseph Gerrick, decided not to follow him. When Halpern failed to return, Gerrick reported him missing. After extensive searches, authorities presumed that Mr. Halpern died from exposure.

Unsubstantiated reports place him in Phoenix, AZ in December of 1934, with the Lewis Brothers Circus in Michigan in the summer of 1935, and traveling with CCC near Alliance, Nebraska in May of 1935. He was also a computer for the Army at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in 1932. Mr. Halpern was fluent in French and German, could read and write in Cyrillic, and was a highly skilled mathematician, astronomer, and scientist. He was employed for the summer at the Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin."

 

[lightofmine99]

These are remains that were found in the Grand Canyon (desert) and fairly well preserved due to environmental factors.

I wonder if there's any chance, though, that the Doe is older than 1933. I guess you could check how old that gun was maybe? If the gun was manufactured in say, 1931, you would know that would be the earliest possible year of death.

We must also consider that, while this looks like a suicide, it could also be staged to look like one.

 

[Beekarina]

Archived images from 1933--i.e. archived by whom? Kolb?

For me, this opens up all kinds of possibilities. The photo could have been labelled with a date after the fact--and the date could be incorrect. Intentionally so, or simply an error/approximation.

I agree about the weapon and dating, although I do not personally know enough about how to date weapons from that period. I know now there would be information that would give more clues. You would think/hope experts would have looked into this?? But you never know, and where this IS so long ago, it is interesting but likely not anyone's priority. Anyone here know of a regular who has a lot of knowledge in this area and can tag them?

 

[lightofmine99]

Let's assume Emery Kolb killed this John Doe for a minute and continue with the generally accepted fact the guy is NOT Glen Hyde.

Kolb kills this guy somewhere, somehow, for unknown reasons. Did he transport the body to the remote Grand Canyon location, or did he die there? Then, instead of moving the body to somewhere even more remote, he decides to just leave it in the relative open area and stage it as a suicide. Lastly he returns after the Doe has skeletonized to retrieve the remains and put them in his house. Specifically he put them inside a boat he had hanging on rafters or something like that. I would consider this a clever hiding place but still far riskier than say, dumping the Doe bones in a river or scattering them over time in random places.

Yes, the remains were not "found" until they were cleanly skeletonized, and again not found until much later in the (supposed) killer's home after his death, but why on earth would you continually choose to leave the body in an area where it is at higher risk of being found? There is no way Kolb could have predicted nobody finding it until after he died.

Meanwhile, was this firearm also found in Kolb's home? I don't remember reading anything like that.

 

[Beekarina]

What do we know about Kolb? As a person, aside from the photography. Is there anything else regarding his association with juries? Possible motivations he might have had for murdering anyone--i.e. was Kolb himself ever married & divorced, that sort of thing.

It is pretty bizarre to have the remains of someone just hanging out in your home for several decades AND to also apparently have several photographs of the occasion you found the remains. I can understand why he may have taken the photos myself--but it also seems really weird he kept the remains long term. I could see short term in a rural area, if he was associated somehow with law enforcement if they asked him to hang on, we will come and get them, etc but just really weird all around.

I wonder if perhaps he knew who this was, and if it was a murder vs a suicide, knew who was involved?

 

[Beekarina]

Also worth a mention IF the timeline for the photo is somewhat flexible:

Everett Ruess, age 20, missing since November 1, 1934 from Utah, was heading to Arizona

4435DMUT - Everett Ruess

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Everett Ruess was an artist who spent time alone in the wilderness. In November of 1934 (the exact day is unknown), he was seen in Escalante Canyons, Utah, as he traveled towards Arizona for the winter. Later, his two burros were found corralled with gear in Davis Gulch. Ruess's probable last camp was found in Cottonwood Canyon, and footprints were followed to the base of Kaiparowits Plateau. "Nemo, 1934" was found scratched into the wall of a nearby cave..

Ruess speaks Navajo in addition to English.

In 2009, DNA testing was performed on bones thought to be Ruess's. At first, they were declared to be his, but the family sought a second opinion when an archeologist said that the dental records did not appear to match. Further DNA testing conclusively proved the remains to not be Ruess's.

 

[cenazoic]

There's a (really good) book about the Hydes called Sunk without a Sound. I believe there's more details about the Kolb skeleton (beyond just the finding of it) but I'll need to dig out the book to confirm and will report back.

 

[cenazoic]

Y’all, they know that this skeleton was a suicide (although not who he was). Kolb did not murder him.

See:

Museum Collection helps with cold case

Approximately 2,500 people use Grand Canyon National Park's Museum Collection each year for research related to the canyon's natural and human history. And every once in a while, the Museum

www.williamsnews.com

 

[Kamiko123132]

Y’all, they know that this skeleton was a suicide (although not who he was). Kolb did not murder him.

See:

Museum Collection helps with cold case

Approximately 2,500 people use Grand Canyon National Park's Museum Collection each year for research related to the canyon's natural and human history. And every once in a while, the Museum

www.williamsnews.com

Yea is a suicide but much more things could've happened leading to that if there is proof kolb was there. Or they think. Could Kolb convince the man to kill himself? or suicide himself?

 

[Puzzleworth]

Yea is a suicide but much more things could've happened leading to that if there is proof kolb was there. Or they think. Could Kolb convince the man to kill himself? or suicide himself?

From the first comment:

Kolb's photograph of the skeleton taken in 1933 was used to verify that the individual found at his garage was the same person.

It sounds like Kolb was in the backcountry looking for photography targets for his business when he came across the body, photographed it, and took the remains back home. If it was skeletal by the time he found it there's almost zero chance he was involved in the death. As for why he took them...who knows? Maybe he figured they were better off with people than decomposing in the wild. Maybe he thought they were just items. How common is it to hear about bodies in similar circumstances here on WS? I think respect for the unnamed dead might have simply been lower back then.

 

[cenazoic]

From the link thats been posted at least twice:

“..Emery Kolb had sat as a county coroner jury representative for Grand Canyon. Sumner speculates that Kolb must have acquired the skeletal remains as a county representative after the death inquest”

 

[RickshawFan]

The date the photo was taken by Kolb is 100% certain and established? IF there is any wiggle room for the date of Kolb's photo, I would suggest Joseph Laurence Halpern:

He was 22, a doctoral student, a known hiker, and interesting background:

4185DMCO - Joseph Laurence Halpern

"

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Mr. Halpern, a doctoral candidate in astronomy at the University of Chicago, disappeared on August 14, 1933 while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park near Taylor Peak. He disappeared when he started up the peak alone when his friend, Joseph Gerrick, decided not to follow him. When Halpern failed to return, Gerrick reported him missing. After extensive searches, authorities presumed that Mr. Halpern died from exposure.

Unsubstantiated reports place him in Phoenix, AZ in December of 1934, with the Lewis Brothers Circus in Michigan in the summer of 1935, and traveling with CCC near Alliance, Nebraska in May of 1935. He was also a computer for the Army at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in 1932. Mr. Halpern was fluent in French and German, could read and write in Cyrillic, and was a highly skilled mathematician, astronomer, and scientist. He was employed for the summer at the Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin."View attachment 483217

Definitely some similarities there, but I'm not convinced....

Wow, Halpern's a brilliant guy. Unusual to have an American in the 1930's with facility in Cyrillic. I wonder if he was getting recruited....

I speculate the "unsubstantiated sightings" don't belong to Halpern.

I also speculated that the UID went to the GC as a member of the CCC, but the CCC didn't start until 1933. I'm not clear how long it would take for bones to get flesh removed in that climate. The UID had pants, yes? But bones only?

 

[RickshawFan]

I'm highlighting this here, since there seems to be additional info. The article it comes from is 2008.

Then, about a year ago, the son of Gus Williamson, a ranger who had worked at the Canyon in the 1930s, sent in photos of a skeleton that had been found in 1933 at Shoshone Point.
According to the June 9, 1933 issue of the Coconino Sun, a botanist found the partially clothed skeleton using binoculars. The skeleton was about 600 below the rim. When rangers got to the bones, they found a .32-caliber weapon near the bones and a hole in the skull.
Estimates were than the body had been there for about two years prior to the discovery, according to the Coconino Sun report. There were no identifying marks and no identification in the pocketbook. The sheriff and county attorney determined the death a suicide and no inquest was necessary.
Rangers noted cheap khaki trousers, sandals and a white cotton shirt.
When Sumner got a look at the photos, he paid close attention to the footwear.
"And it was a match," he said.

Special Report: Cold cases to heat up

The body of Jose Perez was found in his Williams home on Feb. 1, 1965. He had been stabbed 36 times.

azdailysun.com

 

[Tower]

I'm highlighting this here, since there seems to be additional info. The article it comes from is 2008.

Then, about a year ago, the son of Gus Williamson, a ranger who had worked at the Canyon in the 1930s, sent in photos of a skeleton that had been found in 1933 at Shoshone Point.
According to the June 9, 1933 issue of the Coconino Sun, a botanist found the partially clothed skeleton using binoculars. The skeleton was about 600 below the rim. When rangers got to the bones, they found a .32-caliber weapon near the bones and a hole in the skull.
Estimates were than the body had been there for about two years prior to the discovery, according to the Coconino Sun report. There were no identifying marks and no identification in the pocketbook. The sheriff and county attorney determined the death a suicide and no inquest was necessary.
Rangers noted cheap khaki trousers, sandals and a white cotton shirt.
When Sumner got a look at the photos, he paid close attention to the footwear.
"And it was a match," he said.

Special Report: Cold cases to heat up

The body of Jose Perez was found in his Williams home on Feb. 1, 1965. He had been stabbed 36 times.

azdailysun.com

Interesting, in the article they state investigators determined the skeleton was not older than 1972 because they assumed it had been out in the elements. But Kolb protected the skeleton from the elements by keeping it indoors. Based on matching footwear, they determined the remains he was keeping were the same as the skeleton found in the 1930s.

So we still have an unidentified skeleton from the 1930s. I wonder if the bones are too weathered to extract DNA?