FL FL - Miami Beach, WhtMale 1388UMFL, 46-70, offshore, laryngectomy, Apr'95

[carbuff]

Carbuff- All that scarring on his neck is likely due to a "Radical or partial Neck Dissection", frequently done when a person has extensive cancer or cancer including the lymph nodes in the neck. This would include the laryngectomy, removal of all tumor, as many of the lymph nodes as are involved as well as other structures in the neck including arteries, nerves and muscles. The degree to which the surgery is done is dependant on the size and infiltration of the tumor. At the very least it appears from the information given that he had a laryngectomy with resultant stoma. The stoma is actually where they have brought the windpipe to the surface at the neck, so instead of breathing through his mouth and nose, he would have breathed thru the hole in his neck.

The Omega Watch is what caught my eye. Omega watches are a pricey item, and would have likely been registered to him whenever he purchased it. Each one is marked with it's own serial number on the outside of the case. It appears from the picture that this one is gold, and if it is indeed a genuine Omega ( and not a knock off), it will be 18 K solid gold, not plated.

I have already sent an email to the case coordinator to let them know to look for the number and where to contact. Hopefully this will get us the identity of this poor man, or if he's not the original purchaser, then a geographical area where he may be from.

It is interesting that this gentleman is fully clothed, down to the hankerchief, yet had no wallet.. so if he was robbed, they missed the watch and rings... Weird...

Thanks. I thought that was probably what the surgery scars meant, but I wasn't sure.

Yeah, that watch is expensive, and the ring looks like it's heavy gold. Both of them worth stealing if robbery was the motive.

 

[kitbits]

thanks to all for your valuable insight. I'm going to be travelling for a few weeks, so won't be around, but *fingers crossed* something good happens.

I was mainly just thinking he might have been an ex-pat & might have lived in the Americas for many, many years, but like me, has family back home & might occassionally have travelled home to visit, which often includes a bit of shopping...just about to take my first proper trip to the US in 9 years, so I guess I've got ex-pat scenarios on the brain!

Poor chap...really do hope he is ID'd and returned to his family.

Thanks again, everyone...lots to ponder...

 

[carbuff]

thanks to all for your valuable insight. I'm going to be travelling for a few weeks, so won't be around, but *fingers crossed* something good happens.

I was mainly just thinking he might have been an ex-pat & might have lived in the Americas for many, many years, but like me, has family back home & might occassionally have travelled home to visit, which often includes a bit of shopping...just about to take my first proper trip to the US in 9 years, so I guess I've got ex-pat scenarios on the brain!

Poor chap...really do hope he is ID'd and returned to his family.

Thanks again, everyone...lots to ponder...

I think the ex-pat scenario has a lot of merit.

And have a great time on your trip back!

 

[carbuff]

Okay, this one jumped out at me this morning and I need some other opinions: Adam Breaux, 50, missing 1991 from Louisiana. A well-dressed gentleman who had worked at a men's clothing store for 30 years.

LA Adam John Breaux(50)-Houma-28 AUG 91 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Height is on (5'10" vs. 5'11") I can account for the weight gain and thicker eyebrows as age-related changes, and clearly the UID has been through some medical issues. Ears seem to match. But the eye color is off in a way that makes me think it can't be resolved, and despite the facial similarity I don't think it quite matches.

What do the rest of you think -- is it close enough to follow up on? Or close but no cigar?

 

[kitbits]

Okay, this one jumped out at me this morning and I need some other opinions: Adam Breaux, 50, missing 1991 from Louisiana. A well-dressed gentleman who had worked at a men's clothing store for 30 years.

LA Adam John Breaux(50)-Houma-28 AUG 91 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Height is on (5'10" vs. 5'11") I can account for the weight gain and thicker eyebrows as age-related changes, and clearly the UID has been through some medical issues. Ears seem to match. But the eye color is off in a way that makes me think it can't be resolved, and despite the facial similarity I don't think it quite matches.

What do the rest of you think -- is it close enough to follow up on? Or close but no cigar?

hi carbuff--I think it's worth looking into. You're right that it isn't perfect, per se, but I think there are enough similarities. The mouth really jumped out at me and the nose seems similar & I agree with the ears.

& yes, had a wonderful time, thanks!

 

[webrocket]

just saw this thread.

I don't think it is Breaux as he had brown eyes and the deceased had gray-green eyes, an unusual color if I don't say so myself. I was trying to find online sources that indicate where those eye colors can be found but so far nothing clear.

 

[Donjeta]

Presuming it was his own wedding ring the lower age estimate on the UID (46-70) seems to be on the low side. If he got married at age 18 or older in 1958 he would have been at least 55 years old in 1995.

 

[mamashawn]

I'm trying to find out more about the ring. It's a griffin's head, not a full griffin. This website says that the griffin head is associated with these family names: Cambridge, Campbell, Carkettle, Cartwright, Chaplin, Clark, Collen, Collin, Collings, Collins, Collyn, Cooke, Cotton, Cumby, and Curry. These are just the "C" surnames.

Oh, and the stone is a bloodstone.

I'll come back and search some more after I get dinner done.

 

[JupiterAmmon]

I think the UID was definitely of European origin, given the heraldic griffin head ring, and the way that the date is written in the wedding band (26-12 rather than 12-26).

I think tracing the Omega watch, as someone mentioned earlier, is something LE should look into. The watch (if authentic) should have a unique serial number which should be traceable to a specific person, or at least, a specific country. Also the watch may not be solid gold, as another user suggested. For many years Omega made gold-plated watches (in addition to 14kt and 18kt gold watches) which stopped around 15 years ago or so.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I don't see any Masonic iconography in this ring.

I do notice that the face of the ring seems to be shaped like a badge. Not that I know what that means.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I've been able to find similar icons within the insignias used by the U.S. Army (google army heralrdy and you will see lots of these on a pentagon.mil site), but nothing that is an exact match. Granted some have been redesigned in the past few years, so that could explain part of it. The fitched or Lorraine cross looks to have been a more commonly used military symbol in the beginning of the century (which would make sense given our military history with the French), but that doesn't jive with the date of the ring. The date on the ring does not look to be significant militarily speaking (although I believe the military also uses the European dating format). The Cuban revolution was percolating at this time, and would erupt a few days later, but not on that date.

I suppose it could be a military insignia for a military division within another country's army also. I don't know how if other armed forces use similar imagery to differentiate between units and divisions but I suspect some do.

The date could be when he joined or when he retired, or when he was promoted, or who knows what. The letters could be what? Air Combat? Artillery Command?

Or it could not be military at all... But just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[carbuff]

I think the ring might depict a wyvern (a sort of two-legged dragon). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyvern

The picture on the left is a lot clearer when you click on it. The one on the right is an enlarged view of the creature on the ring.

 

[LotsaLatte]

That looks like it might be a griffin on that ring. Part of my family is from Scotland and most of us have grey or grey/blue eyes. Part of my family is from France And some from Ireland...they have grey green eyes. If that is a Griffin, I wonder if this man was from either Ireland or was Irish Canadian and his surname was Griffin. But then again, griffins/gryphons are on a lot of crests. May be a stretch but it would be nice to get this man Identified.

 

[carbuff]

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/1123

No ruleouts listed.

The medical section indicates he had lung cancer.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Did you ever find that larger photo of the ring? I can't make it out in that tiny picture but the description is ringing a very faint bell.

It looks like the Cross of St James as used by the Order of Santiago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Saint_James

Which would indicate a Catholic faith I think.

 

[carbuff]

It looks like the Cross of St James as used by the Order of Santiago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Saint_James

Which would indicate a Catholic faith I think.

Is it a St. James Cross? I thought it looked like it was a cross crosslet fitchee, with the squared bars, rather than the curved ends on the St. James.

 

[emmamartha]

Just came across this and it's really got under my skin.

The date on the ring, wedding? A C could be his wifes initials or one could be his and the other hers.

The "crest" ring... if he is from the UK it could well have been a cheap ring from Argos, back in the 1990's it was very common to buy from there and it does come across like something Argos would sell. I believe the other ring and the watch may have a better chance at helping ID him.

Could he be out there to take his own life? maybe he decided to do it somewhere sunny with nice views. Maybe why he didn't have his wallet, although you'd think hotels/motels in the area would call up if they find a room full of stuff and no tenant. Just speculating.

 

[Melt71]

Could he be out there to take his own life? maybe he decided to do it somewhere sunny with nice views. Maybe why he didn't have his wallet, although you'd think hotels/motels in the area would call up if they find a room full of stuff and no tenant. Just speculating.

I'm sure this could be the case. Could he have fallen off a boat (he was found 3mi offshore)?

 

[carbuff]

Just came across this and it's really got under my skin.

The date on the ring, wedding? A C could be his wifes initials or one could be his and the other hers.

The "crest" ring... if he is from the UK it could well have been a cheap ring from Argos, back in the 1990's it was very common to buy from there and it does come across like something Argos would sell. I believe the other ring and the watch may have a better chance at helping ID him.

Could he be out there to take his own life? maybe he decided to do it somewhere sunny with nice views. Maybe why he didn't have his wallet, although you'd think hotels/motels in the area would call up if they find a room full of stuff and no tenant. Just speculating.

My maternal grandmother used to work as a motel maid. People left without their stuff all the time, usually without paying their bill.

 

[BigKeyManatee]

Bumping for this fine gentleman.

Mods please remove if not allowed but I found a thread on a genealogy site that discusses this ring and the UID in depth. Any ideas what this 'crest' is? (Heraldry Crests and Coats of Arms) Page 6 RootsChat.Com

The knowledge shared in this thread inspired me for further research. Hope to hear more thoughts on this one.

 

[MagicCityMan]

This is somewhat reminiscent of "Maritime John Doe":

FL - FL - “Maritime John Doe", Wht, 65-75, maritime tattoo, Atlantic Ocean, Sep'03

It is so strange to me that in both cases C.O.D. is listed as unknown. This leads me to believe that it wasn't drowning. I brought this up in Maritime John Doe's thread as a kind of wild thought but in this case I legitimately can see a burial at sea scenario. He clearly had serious health issues and was dressed very well with an expensive watch and what could be sentimental/meaningful rings on him. Suicide, maybe, but then wouldn't C.O.D. have been drowning without question? Drowning is pretty easy to determine in an autopsy isn't it?
As far as the gentleman himself goes, I am definitely thinking he is from the Islands, specifically the British West Indies. This is based on nothing more than what his composite looks like. Someone earlier said Bahamas which would be right on target. I have met many white Bahamians, Jamaicans etc in south Florida. Used to work with an older white man who was from St. Kitts. Could be from anywhere in the B.W.I.