After 44 years, John Doe #3 (1980) is now Identified
Solano County Coroner's Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1980 John Doe
'In February 1980, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in a creek bed as water levels receded in Benicia, California. Benicia is a city in Solano County, California, located on the north bank of the Carquinez Strait in the northern San Francisco Bay Area. Investigators determined that the remains were that of a man who was between the ages of 20 and 40 years old, that stood between 5’8” and 6’1” tall, and weighed 155 pounds. No other identifying characteristics could be determined for the man and he was buried as John Doe #3 (1980).
In August 2016, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP15568.'
'In December 2023, the Solano County Coroner's Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man.'
This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be 25-year-old Donald Gene Horecka. Horecka was from Las Vegas, Nevada and went missing from the area sometime in the late 1970s to early 1980s.
Anyone with information about the disappearance or death of Donald Horecka, is asked to contact contact Solano County Coroner Investigator Jessica Dew at 707-784-7500.''
