Benjamin Kyle Homeless man who claimed amnesia says he has found out his identity

[zelda_s]

Benjaman has a severe mental illness (schizophrenia), which could explain a lot of his behaviour that people found odd or evasive. It was probably his mental illness that caused the original amnesia, as opposed to being beaten. Maybe he intentionally lied about that because of the huge stigma that comes with mental illness - I would not blame him one bit if he did. Who knows how much he's remembered since then, or if it comes and goes with episodes of illness, or if he's intentionally held information back from the public or whatever.

Mental illness causes many people to end up on the streets, shunned by their families, and it's an absolute tragedy. Benjaman was and is a vulnerable person, imo, and I hope his extended family welcome him back and help him get and keep his life back on track. I wish you all the best, Benjaman :loveyou:

i had no idea he had schizophrenia, but looking at the case, it would make sense. I wonder if he will release full details soon?

 

[Occams Razor]

So does anyone know the actual story here? Was he really found injured and unconscious that day? Aside from his somewhat evasive behavior, what proof is there that he is faking it? How did he manage to go 11 years without the hoax being exposed in a big way? Surely someone talked to the local police or got ahold of other evidence...

Not trying to sound like a doubter, but the entire internet (minus Websleuths) seems to believe the official account. The 2010 announcement here about it being a hoax was also very vague. Would be interesting to know what the real story is since most of us have been following the case (if only passively) for many years.

 

[AliceInPain]

So does anyone know the actual story here? Was he really found injured and unconscious that day? Aside from his somewhat evasive behavior, what proof is there that he is faking it? How did he manage to go 11 years without the hoax being exposed in a big way? Surely someone talked to the local police or got ahold of other evidence...

Not trying to sound like a doubter, but the entire internet (minus Websleuths) seems to believe the official account. The 2010 announcement here about it being a hoax was also very vague. Would be interesting to know what the real story is since most of us have been following the case (if only passively) for many years.

He is, or was, schizophrenic. For whatever reasons he didn't want to make that known.
Thanks to genuinely caring people he has now found his (biological) family.
(He had to go through several DNA databases and do all the tests, is my understanding.)
I think people are still taking advantage of him, jmo.

 

[Rayemonde]

His name is William Burgess Powell.

Beginning in early adolescence, William—his mother’s favorite—became the target of his father’s wrath. Furman declined to describe the specifics of the abuse, other than to say that it was regular and brutal...

When Powell fled Indiana, he cut most of the remaining ties of an already isolated life. After Goetz left him in Boulder, he was all but alone. According to earning records filed with the Social Security Administration, he worked at several restaurants in Denver from 1978 to 1983. But after that, no income was reported for William Powell. Until 2004, there was no record of his existence...

Powell may never remember his 20 years that have gone missing. Perhaps, like Ansel Bourne, he had adopted another name and lived out another life for two decades, one in which he was called Benjaman.

“I think it’s obvious that I did,” he said. “I don’t think I made it up out of thin air. It could be that I was going from job to job for a long time. Restaurant jobs are a dime a dozen, so I’m guessing I might have done that.”

https://newrepublic.com/article/138068/last-unknown-man

 

[AliceInPain]

Oh wow, he was a Powell.
Those DNA people got it perfect.
He had his date of birth right as well, and his locations and work.

:loveyou:

 

[Tawny]

I'm no psych doc, but gut feeling going off of the news that he experienced brutal abuse from his father and seems to have "lost" memory... I'd guess extreme dissociative disorder of some type.

 

[cocomod]

His name is William Burgess Powell.




https://newrepublic.com/article/138068/last-unknown-man

Sometimes, it seems, truth is stranger than fiction!!

 

[Cubby]

Interesting. Long article but worth the read. Posting the link again:
https://newrepublic.com/article/138068/last-unknown-man

I was kind of saddened to read there was no response from his living brother in Florida. I wonder if that brother, RP, fits into the 20 or so unaccounted for years of WP's life. Just a guess, but perhaps he found himself in Georgia on his way back up north after leaving his brothers home in Florida.

I am glad he now knows who he is, and regardless of his quirks, I am glad he has found family. I hope he is receiving any necessary medical treatment to live a happy and healthy life. MH issues, just like any other disease, can be treated successfully when patients are compliant with their treatment. I hope that is the case for Mr. Powell and that he is able to overcome any personal prejudices against treatment for MI.

 

[Grungster]

Does anyone know how Benjamin/William is doing? I don't think there has been a lot out on him for a few years.

 

[madamx]

Why is he still listed as missing?

Unidentified Remains: Unidentified Living Person U590021635


Unidentified Remains: Unidentified Living Person U590021635
Unidentified Living Person

Case Info
Date found: Tue, 08/31/2004 - 12:00
Race: White
Location: Richmond Hill
Weight: 240
Height: 5' 11"
Eyes: Blue
Hair Color: Brown
Sex: Male
Birth Range: 1945 - 1955
Contact Info: GBI Tip Line at 1-800-597-8477 or your local FBI Office
UNIDENTIFIED LIVING PERSON

This amnesia victim was found unconscious near a trash dumpster behind a restaurant on US Highway 17 in Richmond Hill on August 31, 2004. Richmond Hill is located off I-95 just south of Savannah. Paramedics indicated he may have received blows to his head from a blunt object. He still has no memory of who he is or where he came from. He now calls himself "Benjaman Kyle". There have been numerous media stories across the country on this "Benjaman Kyle", but no solid leads have turned up on who this person might be.

If you have any information on this man, please contact your local FBI Office and provide them with the NIC # U590021635. Or call the GBI Tip Line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).

Related Files

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  148560012BenjamanKyle1.jpg (85.46

 

[madamx]

IDENTIFIED******** William Burgess Powell of Lafayette, Indiana

I found this identified page on Facebook which has a real long story.