FL FL - Silver Springs, WhtMale 17-30, 1075UMFL, scattered remains in Ocala National Forest w/ .38 Special revolver, Dec'92

[lightofmine99]

Silver Springs John Doe (1992)
1075UMFL (DN)
#UP6052 (NAM)

Reconstruction (left) decedent's t-shirt (right).​

Circumstances
The decedent's scattered skeletal remains were found by a hunter in the Ocala National Forest, 100 yards south of the entrance to the Juniper Springs Park. A .38 Special revolver was found nearby with one shot fired. Authorities do not suspect foul play. (per DN).

Bones found at a campsite and a gun was near-by in the Juniper Springs Recreation site (per NamUs).

This case is currently being investigated by new user @Thomas Lee as part of the Marion Co. Florida Cold Case Team. More photos are available on Doe Network and NamUs.

Spoiler: INFORMATION / CASE OVERVIEW

Case Numbers:

• Doe Network: 1075UMFL​
• NamUs: #UP6052
• FLUIDDB: #773
• ME/C: MA-618/ME-1614

Overview:

• Date of Discovery: December 29, 1992
• Location: Silver Springs, Florida (Marion Co.)
• PMI: 1985-1992 (estimate)
• State of Remains: Near complete or complete skeleton
• Cause of Death: Gunshot wound to the head

Physical:

• Estimated Age: 17-30 years old
• Race: White
• Sex: Male
• Height: 5'11"
• Weight: 160 lbs.; thin to medium build (estimate)
• Hair Color: UNKNOWN
• Eye Color: UNKNOWN
• Distinguishing Marks/Features: Spina bifida occulta, overbite

Identifiers

• Dentals: AVAILABLE
• Fingerprints: UNAVAILABLE
• DNA: AVAILABLE

Personal Affects:

• Clothing:
  • Docker pants; Hanes underwear, 32 inch waist
  • Levi's jacket
  • blue t-shirt with a picture of a sailboat and "Rum Runners Bermuda" in white lettering, size medium (see photo)
  • t-shirt with "Miami Vice" on front along with characters from the tv show, size medium
  • Nike Air sneakers, size 10 or 11
• Add'l Items:
  • .38 caliber Charter Arms Off Duty revolver serial #7813, barrel stamped "off-duty 38 special"
  • shaving kit
  • blue Adidas nylon tote bag
  • sunglasses
  • hairbrush;
  • zippered gun pouch
  • roll-on deodorant dated 09/10/1991
• Jewelry: NONE

Investigating Agencies:

• Agency Name: District 5 Medical Examiner's Office
• Agency Contact Person: Lindsey Bayer, Medicolegal Death Investigator
• Agency Phone Number: 352-326-5961
• Agency E-Mail: [email protected]
• Agency Case Number: 1992-618/ME-1614
• 
  
• Agency Name: Marion County Sheriff's Office
• Agency Contact Person: Detective Rhonda Stroup
• Agency Phone Number: 352-732-8181
• Agency E-Mail: [email protected]
• Agency Case Number: 92-033018
• NCIC Case Number: U617473061

Links:
FLUIDDB: #773 (ARCHIVE)
NAMUS: #UP6052 (ARCHIVE)
DOE NET: #1075UMFL (ARCHIVE)

 

[summergirl1]

A 2008 article on this Doe- Police seek assistance in identifying suicide victim

 

[MagicCityMan]

Could his gun be indicative of a law enforcement background? This is a genuine question, I am not really a gun person. Pretty sure that .38 revolvers were standard issue for police officers back then. Maybe not this particular model since it's literally called "off duty".

 

[azure]

I live in Ocala in the winters and I'm confused as to why this Doe is called Silver Springs Doe. Silver Springs is 22 miles east of Juniper Springs, where this Doe was found.

 

[carbuff]

I live in Ocala in the winters and I'm confused as to why this Doe is called Silver Springs Doe. Silver Springs is 22 miles east of Juniper Springs, where this Doe was found.

I think it's a mistake. The text of the Namus case file clearly says Juniper Springs; it's just the header where it's wrong.

No actually I take that back, I just found Silver Springs in another spot as well. That's weird. Is Silver Springs the name of the county, or something?

 

[carbuff]

Three exclusions:

MP65338 Arnold Epel 01/19/1989 Miami-Dade FL

MP15021 Robert Kellar 02/12/1990 Muscatine IA

MP9299 Gerald Polk 12/21/1991 Pasco FL

 

[lightofmine99]

No actually I take that back, I just found Silver Springs in another spot as well. That's weird. Is Silver Springs the name of the county, or something?

Yeah I read Silver Springs as the location on Doe Network, I believe. Unless it has been changed since. 99% sure I read Silver Springs.

 

[azure]

I think it's a mistake. The text of the Namus case file clearly says Juniper Springs; it's just the header where it's wrong.

No actually I take that back, I just found Silver Springs in another spot as well. That's weird. Is Silver Springs the name of the county, or something?

Both Silver Springs and Juniper Springs are located in Marion County, FL. Silver Springs is a state park, but it's within Ocala, FL. You could maybe call it a neighborhood but it's not a town. No idea where the name came from. Just lazy data entry I guess.

 

[kdsmith21]

Robert Wayne Derringer. Led a transient lifestyle. Largo Fl
Nose doesn't look large enough

 

[kdsmith21]

This guy's profile looks like the sketch. May have had a firearm and left a note telling his family how to handle his belongings. View attachment 547828

 

[kdsmith21]

Bump

 

[kdsmith21]

Three exclusions:

MP65338 Arnold Epel 01/19/1989 Miami-Dade FL

MP15021 Robert Kellar 02/12/1990 Muscatine IA

MP9299 Gerald Polk 12/21/1991 Pasco FL

I know Arnold epel is ruled out, but I'm still convinced it's him.
according to namus he had scoliosis, just like the john doe (i think i saw that on charley project for thid doe) the profile looks just like him and his car was found abandoned almost 4 hours from juniper springs
I'm wondering what they used for the rule out. Epel may of had a firearm and left a note for his parents to handle his belongings.

 

[MagicCityMan]

I know Arnold epel is ruled out, but I'm still convinced it's him.
according to namus he had scoliosis, just like the john doe (i think i saw that on charley project for thid doe) the profile looks just like him and his car was found abandoned almost 4 hours from juniper springs
I'm wondering what they used for the rule out. Epel may of had a firearm and left a note for his parents to handle his belongings.

The bag found with this decedent had a roll on deodorant dated 9-10-91 so that might eliminate Mr. Epel who probably was not alive for too long after he disappeared in January 1989.
Having said that though, I sincerely hope that is not the only metric they used to exclude Mr. Epel because I agree with you. There is a lot that matches.
Personally, I think he is much closer to where they found his car.

Edit- It just dawned on me that the date on the deodorant could be the expiration and not the manufacture date......

 

[cakes323]

Both Silver Springs and Juniper Springs are located in Marion County, FL. Silver Springs is a state park, but it's within Ocala, FL. You could maybe call it a neighborhood but it's not a town. No idea where the name came from. Just lazy data entry I guess.

Silver Springs is actually separate from Ocala; it is its own Census designated place. I've lived here since 1998 and have always considered the whole area of State Road 40 from SR 35 to SR 19 (where the town of Salt Springs is) as "Silver Springs". The Silver River originates at the head spring and was integral to trade and travel up to Palatka and Jacksonville before the railroads came.

 

[azure]

Silver Springs is actually separate from Ocala; it is its own Census designated place. I've lived here since 1998 and have always considered the whole area of State Road 40 from SR 35 to SR 19 (where the town of Salt Springs is) as "Silver Springs". The Silver River originates at the head spring and was integral to trade and travel up to Palatka and Jacksonville before the railroads came.

True! I think what I was trying poorly to say is that per the NAMUS description, this Doe was found in Juniper Springs, which is ~25 mins from Silver Springs, both the Census-designated area and the park. Yet the 'location found' on NAMUS is Silver Springs. Confusing.