citizen_sleuth
Verified family member - Orie Donald Esh thread
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2021
- Messages
- 2,290
- Reaction score
- 23,426
NamUs #UP201 / DoeNetwork 533UMFL
Reconstruction of the victim (additional reconstructions available on Doe Network)
Photo of the t-shirt found on the victim
Demographics
Sex: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Asian [NOTE: Doe Network now lists this UID as Black but the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner still lists the UID as Asian]
Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 40
Estimated Age Range (Years): 28 - 34
Estimated Year of Death: N/A
Estimated PMI: 1- 3 Years
Height: 5'6" (66 inches), Estimated [NOTE: Newspaper reports estimate the UID was between 5'7" and 6'0"]
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Cause of Death: Homicide by two gunshots to the head
Circumstances
Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: March 14, 1988
NamUs Case Created: June 29, 2007
ME/C QA Reviewed: N/A
Location Found: Florida 33637
County: Hillsborough County
Circumstances of Recovery: A man walking in Wilderness Park in northeastern Hillsborough County wandered into a clearing near 16400 Morris Bridge Road to use the bathroom and stumbled upon what appeared to be human skeletal remains. The man, described as a regular visitor to the park, went to the ranger station at the Hillsborough River at around 3 p.m. and reported the finding to Hillsborough County Park Ranger Dave Miller.
"I thought it might have been a joke," said Miller. "But when I came up here, I found it was true. Then the park manager came up, I showed him the remains and he called police."
Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office quickly responded to the park and found what appeared to be a nearly complete skeleton partially buried in the dirt. Newspaper photographers stationed behind police lines saw a skull with two nickel-sized holes and a black high-top tennis shoe, although police initially declined to speculate as to the cause and manner of death.
Prior to the arrival of the medical examiner, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office helicopter was seen hovering over the area, taking aerial photographs of the scene before deputies began searching for additional clues. As the medical examiner would not be available until the following day, a deputy was stationed near the remains overnight to preserve the scene until the morning.
On Tuesday, deputies returned to the park equipped with shovels, gloves, gardening tools, and pruning shears to comb for additional evidence. They cordoned off a 10 foot by 10 foot area and began the painstaking task of sifting through the dirt. After over 5 hours of searching, a few small vertebrae, teeth, some clothing, and an empty vinyl wallet were recovered from the dirt.
The medical examiner determined the man died from two gunshots to the head, and the manner of death was homicide. Despite this, the man's identity remains elusive. A forensic anthropologist with the University of South Florida estimated the man was between 27 and 40 when he was killed, and stated that the remains had likely been in Wilderness Park for between 6 months and 2 years.
Due to the condition of the remains, many identifying features such as hair and eye color were unable to be determined, although it was discovered the man had a lower left canine tooth which never erupted and would likely have been noticed by those who knew him in life. He also had a nasal fracture that was in the process of healing at the time of his death.
According to Doe Network, a more recent examination of the remains revealed the man was Black, rather than of Asian descent with a Chinese or South Korean origin as was previously thought. Isotope testing showed the man was most likely born in the United States, although he may have spent a significant amount of time abroad, possibly in Germany, Japan, or the United Kingdom, suggesting John Doe may have served in the military. Additionally, the isotope testing revealed the man had spent no more than a few years in Florida prior to his death. He may have been born on the West Coast, perhaps Oregon, Northern California, or coastal Washington.
Inventory of Remains: One or more limbs not recovered
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Physical Description
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinctive Physical Features: Nasal fracture present that was still in the process of healing when he died, likely occurring within a year before his death. Osteoarthritis present in his lower back. He also had significant untreated dental disease. His lower left canine tooth never erupted and would likely be noticeable to those who knew him.
Clothing and Accessories
- Sergio Valente blue jeans, t-shirt with "Drunken State" on the front, jockey shorts with blue and black vertical lines, size 8 or 8 1/2 Black Pro 500 dark jogging shoes and a blue cloth Velcro wallet.
News Coverage
Kathy Feeney, "Skeleton found in rural park," Tampa Tribune, 15 March 1988, 4B.
The remains, which deputies believe are those of an adult, were discovered a fifth of a mile north of Morris Bridge Road, about a mile from where the body of 17-year-old Stephanie Anne Collins was discovered in 1986, said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jack Espinosa.
At about 3 p.m. Monday a man described as a regular visitor to the park at 16400 Morris Bridge Road ventured near the clearing and spotted the skeleton, said Lt. Ted Gibson of the Sheriff's Office.
Ranger Dave Miller, 34, said he was on duty in the shelter at the boat launch site when the man said he had found a skeleton. "I thought it might have been a joke," said Miller. "But when I came up here, I found it was true. Then the park manager came up, I showed him the remains and he called police."
Late Monday afternoon, deputies cordoned off the clearing as a Sheriff's Office helicopter hovered taking aerial photographs.
Gibson said the remains would be left at the site overnight and guarded by a deputy. "We'll return in the morning to continue the investigation," Gibson said. "We're waiting for the medical examiner to come out and fill in the blanks."
From behind police lines, a black high-top tennis shoe, several bones and a skull with a nickel-size hole in the back were visible. "From the number of bones it appears to be a complete skeleton. But we're not certain because it's possible small animals may have disturbed part of the skeleton," said Gibson. "It appears to be an adult and it's clothed."
[...]
Sheriff's investigators have drawn no connection between the skeleton and other bodies found in recent years in rural northeastern Hillsborough.
"We can't speculate at all. At this point all we have is bones," said Espinosa. "It's like an archaeological investigation. These things take time. We're waiting for the crime technicians to investigate and then the medical examiner will be the key."
Kevin E. Washington, "Human remains found in woods," Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 15 March 1988, 1.
The remains, unidentified late Monday, were discovered by a passer-by in the woods just off Morris Bridge Road near the Hillsborough River, sheriff's spokesman Jack Espinosa said.
"We suspect foul play," Espinosa said.
[...]
Several vertebrae, with small pieces of fabric on them, a skull and three long bones were found in woods in the park about a mile north of the Hillsborough River. The remains were not visible from the road.
Investigators said Monday they didn't know the gender or age of the person. They also didn't know the cause of death, although a small hole was visible at the back of the skull.
Hillsborough County Park Ranger Dave Miller said a passer-by called the Wilderness Park ranger station on the Hillsborough River shortly before 3 p.m. to report the finding.
Miller found the remains about 175 feet from where a paved park road for hikers and bikers intersects Morris Bridge Road.
[...]
The bones were scattered within a 4-foot area. Gibson didn't know how they were scattered.
Mark Davis, "Skeleton was that of a young male, investigators learn," Tampa Tribune, 16 March 1988, 2B.
Officials are treating the death as a homicide, but still do not know who the man was, what caused his death or when he died.
"We've still got a lot to investigate," Davis said Tuesday afternoon.
The investigation began Monday afternoon when a visitor to the Flatwoods section of Wilderness Park told rangers he found a skeleton in a bramble- and weed-choked stand of small trees less than 50 yards from Morris Bridge Road.
[...]
Deputies cordoned the area and returned Tuesday morning with gardening tools, pruning shears, gloves and shovels to collect the remains, which included bones, a skull, shoes and tattered bits of clothing. Investigators placed their finds in brown shopping bags and divided a plot about 10 feet by 10 feet before combing for smaller evidence.
Officials said the remains indicate the man died violently.
The medical examiner visited the site late Monday and measured two holes in the skull, said Davis. He would not say if they were bullet holes.
"We're still investigating that," he said, "but we're treating it as a homicide."
Deputies spent more than five hours gathering evidence at the park. The sifted dirt turned up teeth, a few small vertebrae, some clothing and an empty vinyl wallet, said Detective Jerry Onheiser.
Onheiser said the bones found amounted to nearly a complete skeleton. But a full skeleton does not mean a quick identification, said Davis. He sifted through missing persons reports as his coworkers sifted through dirt.
None of the local cases offered a good match, he said. "They've all checked out," he said. "Right now, we don't even have a name to compare it with."
"Skeleton in woods thought to be male," Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 16 March 1988, 3B.
A skeleton found off Morris Bridge Road near the Hillsborough River on Monday was tentatively identified as that of a male, between 20 and 30 years of age, said Hillsborough sheriff's spokesman Jack Espinosa. The dead man was between 5 feet 7 and 6 feet tall. Police said the skeleton was wearing Black Pro 500 sneakers, size 8 to 8 1/2, blue jeans and a white T-shirt with "Drunken State" printed on the front. Police also found a blue cloth Velcro wallet, but it was empty.
"Man found in park was shot," Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 30 March 1988, 3B.
Hillsborough sheriff's deputies have determined that the man whose skeleton was found in Wilderness Park two weeks ago was shot to death. Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said a University of South Florida anthropology professor has studied the skeleton and determined how the man died but has not been able to determine the identity of the person. The professor told deputies that the man was between the ages of 27 and 40. The body was in the park at least six months and my have been there up to two years, authorities said. Deputies are still investigating.
Photo of the t-shirt found on the victim
Demographics
Sex: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Asian [NOTE: Doe Network now lists this UID as Black but the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner still lists the UID as Asian]
Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 40
Estimated Age Range (Years): 28 - 34
Estimated Year of Death: N/A
Estimated PMI: 1- 3 Years
Height: 5'6" (66 inches), Estimated [NOTE: Newspaper reports estimate the UID was between 5'7" and 6'0"]
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Cause of Death: Homicide by two gunshots to the head
Circumstances
Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: March 14, 1988
NamUs Case Created: June 29, 2007
ME/C QA Reviewed: N/A
Location Found: Florida 33637
County: Hillsborough County
Circumstances of Recovery: A man walking in Wilderness Park in northeastern Hillsborough County wandered into a clearing near 16400 Morris Bridge Road to use the bathroom and stumbled upon what appeared to be human skeletal remains. The man, described as a regular visitor to the park, went to the ranger station at the Hillsborough River at around 3 p.m. and reported the finding to Hillsborough County Park Ranger Dave Miller.
"I thought it might have been a joke," said Miller. "But when I came up here, I found it was true. Then the park manager came up, I showed him the remains and he called police."
Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office quickly responded to the park and found what appeared to be a nearly complete skeleton partially buried in the dirt. Newspaper photographers stationed behind police lines saw a skull with two nickel-sized holes and a black high-top tennis shoe, although police initially declined to speculate as to the cause and manner of death.
Prior to the arrival of the medical examiner, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office helicopter was seen hovering over the area, taking aerial photographs of the scene before deputies began searching for additional clues. As the medical examiner would not be available until the following day, a deputy was stationed near the remains overnight to preserve the scene until the morning.
On Tuesday, deputies returned to the park equipped with shovels, gloves, gardening tools, and pruning shears to comb for additional evidence. They cordoned off a 10 foot by 10 foot area and began the painstaking task of sifting through the dirt. After over 5 hours of searching, a few small vertebrae, teeth, some clothing, and an empty vinyl wallet were recovered from the dirt.
The medical examiner determined the man died from two gunshots to the head, and the manner of death was homicide. Despite this, the man's identity remains elusive. A forensic anthropologist with the University of South Florida estimated the man was between 27 and 40 when he was killed, and stated that the remains had likely been in Wilderness Park for between 6 months and 2 years.
Due to the condition of the remains, many identifying features such as hair and eye color were unable to be determined, although it was discovered the man had a lower left canine tooth which never erupted and would likely have been noticed by those who knew him in life. He also had a nasal fracture that was in the process of healing at the time of his death.
According to Doe Network, a more recent examination of the remains revealed the man was Black, rather than of Asian descent with a Chinese or South Korean origin as was previously thought. Isotope testing showed the man was most likely born in the United States, although he may have spent a significant amount of time abroad, possibly in Germany, Japan, or the United Kingdom, suggesting John Doe may have served in the military. Additionally, the isotope testing revealed the man had spent no more than a few years in Florida prior to his death. He may have been born on the West Coast, perhaps Oregon, Northern California, or coastal Washington.
Inventory of Remains: One or more limbs not recovered
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Physical Description
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinctive Physical Features: Nasal fracture present that was still in the process of healing when he died, likely occurring within a year before his death. Osteoarthritis present in his lower back. He also had significant untreated dental disease. His lower left canine tooth never erupted and would likely be noticeable to those who knew him.
Clothing and Accessories
- Sergio Valente blue jeans, t-shirt with "Drunken State" on the front, jockey shorts with blue and black vertical lines, size 8 or 8 1/2 Black Pro 500 dark jogging shoes and a blue cloth Velcro wallet.
News Coverage
Kathy Feeney, "Skeleton found in rural park," Tampa Tribune, 15 March 1988, 4B.
The remains, which deputies believe are those of an adult, were discovered a fifth of a mile north of Morris Bridge Road, about a mile from where the body of 17-year-old Stephanie Anne Collins was discovered in 1986, said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jack Espinosa.
At about 3 p.m. Monday a man described as a regular visitor to the park at 16400 Morris Bridge Road ventured near the clearing and spotted the skeleton, said Lt. Ted Gibson of the Sheriff's Office.
Ranger Dave Miller, 34, said he was on duty in the shelter at the boat launch site when the man said he had found a skeleton. "I thought it might have been a joke," said Miller. "But when I came up here, I found it was true. Then the park manager came up, I showed him the remains and he called police."
Late Monday afternoon, deputies cordoned off the clearing as a Sheriff's Office helicopter hovered taking aerial photographs.
Gibson said the remains would be left at the site overnight and guarded by a deputy. "We'll return in the morning to continue the investigation," Gibson said. "We're waiting for the medical examiner to come out and fill in the blanks."
From behind police lines, a black high-top tennis shoe, several bones and a skull with a nickel-size hole in the back were visible. "From the number of bones it appears to be a complete skeleton. But we're not certain because it's possible small animals may have disturbed part of the skeleton," said Gibson. "It appears to be an adult and it's clothed."
[...]
Sheriff's investigators have drawn no connection between the skeleton and other bodies found in recent years in rural northeastern Hillsborough.
"We can't speculate at all. At this point all we have is bones," said Espinosa. "It's like an archaeological investigation. These things take time. We're waiting for the crime technicians to investigate and then the medical examiner will be the key."
Kevin E. Washington, "Human remains found in woods," Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 15 March 1988, 1.
The remains, unidentified late Monday, were discovered by a passer-by in the woods just off Morris Bridge Road near the Hillsborough River, sheriff's spokesman Jack Espinosa said.
"We suspect foul play," Espinosa said.
[...]
Several vertebrae, with small pieces of fabric on them, a skull and three long bones were found in woods in the park about a mile north of the Hillsborough River. The remains were not visible from the road.
Investigators said Monday they didn't know the gender or age of the person. They also didn't know the cause of death, although a small hole was visible at the back of the skull.
Hillsborough County Park Ranger Dave Miller said a passer-by called the Wilderness Park ranger station on the Hillsborough River shortly before 3 p.m. to report the finding.
Miller found the remains about 175 feet from where a paved park road for hikers and bikers intersects Morris Bridge Road.
[...]
The bones were scattered within a 4-foot area. Gibson didn't know how they were scattered.
Mark Davis, "Skeleton was that of a young male, investigators learn," Tampa Tribune, 16 March 1988, 2B.
Officials are treating the death as a homicide, but still do not know who the man was, what caused his death or when he died.
"We've still got a lot to investigate," Davis said Tuesday afternoon.
The investigation began Monday afternoon when a visitor to the Flatwoods section of Wilderness Park told rangers he found a skeleton in a bramble- and weed-choked stand of small trees less than 50 yards from Morris Bridge Road.
[...]
Deputies cordoned the area and returned Tuesday morning with gardening tools, pruning shears, gloves and shovels to collect the remains, which included bones, a skull, shoes and tattered bits of clothing. Investigators placed their finds in brown shopping bags and divided a plot about 10 feet by 10 feet before combing for smaller evidence.
Officials said the remains indicate the man died violently.
The medical examiner visited the site late Monday and measured two holes in the skull, said Davis. He would not say if they were bullet holes.
"We're still investigating that," he said, "but we're treating it as a homicide."
Deputies spent more than five hours gathering evidence at the park. The sifted dirt turned up teeth, a few small vertebrae, some clothing and an empty vinyl wallet, said Detective Jerry Onheiser.
Onheiser said the bones found amounted to nearly a complete skeleton. But a full skeleton does not mean a quick identification, said Davis. He sifted through missing persons reports as his coworkers sifted through dirt.
None of the local cases offered a good match, he said. "They've all checked out," he said. "Right now, we don't even have a name to compare it with."
"Skeleton in woods thought to be male," Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 16 March 1988, 3B.
A skeleton found off Morris Bridge Road near the Hillsborough River on Monday was tentatively identified as that of a male, between 20 and 30 years of age, said Hillsborough sheriff's spokesman Jack Espinosa. The dead man was between 5 feet 7 and 6 feet tall. Police said the skeleton was wearing Black Pro 500 sneakers, size 8 to 8 1/2, blue jeans and a white T-shirt with "Drunken State" printed on the front. Police also found a blue cloth Velcro wallet, but it was empty.
"Man found in park was shot," Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 30 March 1988, 3B.
Hillsborough sheriff's deputies have determined that the man whose skeleton was found in Wilderness Park two weeks ago was shot to death. Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said a University of South Florida anthropology professor has studied the skeleton and determined how the man died but has not been able to determine the identity of the person. The professor told deputies that the man was between the ages of 27 and 40. The body was in the park at least six months and my have been there up to two years, authorities said. Deputies are still investigating.
