FL FL - South Bay, WhtMale 87UMFL, 25-35, In New River Canal, Apr'79

[someoneschild]

I ran across this unidentified person in the sun-sentinel.com unidentified photogallery - photo number 33.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/sfl-mpg-unidentified-dead,0,7868203.photogallery

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/87umfl.html

In the picture he looks as if he could be hispanic but it does not indicate his race.

I ran across this missing person by accident.

http://www.interpol.int/public/Data/Children/Missing/Notices/Data/2010/47/2010_14647.asp

The reason I am pursuing this possible match is because Kenneth Donald Brodacki was born in Canada. Brodacki was a pilot who had lived in Maple Ridge, BC and was employed or (previously employed) in the state of Florida. On the 22nd of February, 1979, Kenneth Brodacki was visiting relatives in Prince Albert, SK. The last known sighting of Brodacki was in Prince Albert, SK. However, Okeechobee, FL. is listed as his place of disappearance on Interpol.

The unidentified was wearing Brown Levi's corduroy pants (size 34 x 34) Canadian label

Okeechobee is not far from South Bay.

The age is close, the weight is close but depending on the site the height is off. Not sure about the "widows peak" in the drawing.

Here's a recent article about Bodacki's disappearance-The Star Phoenix
The date he was last seen is different than the date listed in the Interpol information.
http://www2.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/local/story.html?id=4ed64497-cae1-4c95-a435-52b0e31b7007

Please let me know what you think.
I am sorry if this has been posted before...I tried to search the forum but I do not have access to the search feature.

Thanks,

Here's a side by side.

 

[Stephani]

It seems that the UID listing would have mentioned the surgical scars reported to be on Bodacki's face...those would have been unusual and easily identifiable by someone looking for him.

 

[Stephani]

I couldn't see the thumbnails earlier. They do look very similar. Maybe the scarring isn't as pronounced as one would think.

 

[Mensch]

I couldn't see the thumbnails earlier. They do look very similar. Maybe the scarring isn't as pronounced as one would think.

Hi Stephani,
The first thing I noticed of the physical (have not studied demographics) is that the missing person has a very noticeable gap between his front teeth. This can be seen in both photos yet it is not mentioned. Still it can't be ignored.

 

[someoneschild]

I submitted this possible match to the ME-Michael Britt. He responded... indicating that he has been in contact with the Detective handling the missing persons' case and the Investigator assigned to the doe's case. They are currently comparing the two. I will keep you posted.

 

[Cymro]

I like this.

Location: disappearance of misper to location of ID is 50 miles - but right opposite sides of Lake Okeechobee, if information is correct. Note that the body could not have floated inland as it would be against the current even if the canal feeds the lake - however there is reasonable proximity between the two locations.

Height: Misper is at the top of the UID's range. UID was found wearing trousers with a 34" inseam - that's unusually long for anyone under 6'.

Weight - close to range; misper seems to be slightly heavier than stated but there is only a 6lb discrepancy in any case.

Age - close to the mid point of the age range of the UID.

Hair color - discrepancy but generic "brown" may be used to cover misper's match, as opposed to light blond or black.

Eye color - green vs. brown. Postmortem changes or hazel eyes described differently by different people may explain this. The misper's reported blue eyes are a weakness in the match - but may be explicable due to chemical changes in pigmentation postmortem.

Timescale: approximately eight weeks, allowing time for a return to Florida from last confirmed sighting. The discrepancy in the stated weight suggests some decomposition post mortem even though a cohesive corpse was recovered.

Facial features: the low resolution drawing of the UID may hint at a gap between front teeth. What may be ridges on the forehead on the reconstruction could also be an attempt at rendering scars. Alternatively, facial scarring may have been missed due to decomposition or antemortem injuries inflicted, effectively wiping out scar tissue. Decomposition was however not sufficiently advanced to preclude fingerprints.

Edited to add - should a pilot's prints be on file? Would they still be accessible 30+ years later if he held a Flordia license? Would a database have found a match for any reason.

 

[Donjeta]

UID Namus file: https://identifyus.org/cases/1313

No rule outs listed.

There is no DNA sample.

His dentals are on site and include a few fillings in the molars and two crowns in the front.

n f n n n n n n c n n n n f f i
n f f n n n n c n n n n n f f i

No scars mentioned.

 

[Melt71]

Case Numbers
ME/C Case Number 1979-19
Demographics
Sex Male
Race / Ethnicity White / Caucasian
Estimated Age GroupAdult - Pre 40
Estimated Age Range (Years) 21-35
Estimated Year of Death 0-1979
Estimated PMI 5 Days
Height 5' 6"(66 inches) Estimated
Weight 180 lbs, Estimated
Circumstances
Type Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found April 13, 1979
NamUs Case Created April 8, 2008

Location Found
Location South Bay, Florida CountyPalm Beach County GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped)--

Clothing: He was wearing brown Levi corduroy pants, size 34x34, Canada label; black bikini swim trunks with red and white stripes and size 11 Arthur Ashe tennis shoes with red and white trim.

Inventory of Remains All parts recovered
Condition of RemainsNot recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction

Physical Description
Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description Brown
Left Eye Color Brown
Right Eye Color Brown

Eye Description Brown
Distinctive Physical Features
No Known Information

Clothing and Accessories
Clothing - Brown Levi's corduroy pants (size 34 x 34) Canadian label. Black bikini swim trunks with red and white strips, "Arthur Ashe" tennis shoes with red and white trim (size 11).
On the Body
Footwear - Size 11 Arthur Ashe tennis shoes with red and white trim.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Refreshing the thread...

 

[citizen_sleuth]

"Unidentified Body Found In Canal," Fort Lauderdale News, 15 April 1979, 5B.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is seeking the identity of a white male found floating at 7 p.m. Friday in the North New River Canal 11 miles south of the city.

The body was tied at the feet and weighted. The body was so decomposed after an estimated three to four days in the water, police were unable to determine if death was caused by drowning or other means.

Police describe the victim as about 6 feet 1 inch tall, 200-215 pounds and in his late 20s or early 30s.

 

[sorcoy14]

New NAMUS link and recon.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Two rule outs

 

[Aurora90]

Could he be Christopher McCoy #MP11244?
He was visiting Florida from Bloomington, Illinois roughly two months before John Doe was discovered.

McCoy was last seen in Perrine, Florida on February 2, 1979. He has never been heard from again. He was driving a 1966 Blue Ford Fairlane convertible at the time of his disappearance. Both McCoy and his vehicle have never been located. Few details are available regarding his case and his whereabouts remain unknown.

He went missing with his car, so the assumption has been that he drove into a body of water. John Doe was found in a body of water but with no car. And John Doe's feet were tied and weighted. How exactly were they tied? and with what?

The height for this John Doe has varied depending on different reports. If John Doe is confirmed to be 5'5 then he likely isn't Chris Mccoy, however, original reporting originally has J Doe at 6'0 and the Doe Network says he could be anywhere from 5'6-5'11.

A possible identification would also depend on the state of the remains. Did John Doe have both eyes at the time he was found? Or was he too decomposed? Has it been confirmed that Christopher is missing his left eye? Does the Doe appear to have evidence of a healed/previously broken fibula?

All of these things are questions that I am sure LE can answer.

John Doe Characteristics:​

Estimated Age: 21-35 years old
Race: White
Sex: Male
Height: 5'6" to 5'11"
Weight: 180 to 220 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Christopher McCoy Description:​

Date of Birth: N/A
Age: 22 yrs old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190 lbs
Hair Color: Dark brown & curly
Eye Color: Right eye Brown Left eye Unknown or Missing
Nickname/Alias: N/A
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Had a broken fibula in high school
***According to NamUs he was 25 years old at the time he went missing***

 

[Aurora90]

I received a reply from a detective. Bloomington detectives are now looking into the possibility he is Christopher McCoy.

 

[The4TierBridge]

New reconstruction added to NamUs today for this man. Same artist as the previous most recent one. It looks a lot less like a photoshopped dead guy.

 

[dotr]

by Skyler Shepard May 8th 2025

Cold case heats up: Detectives revisit 1979 mystery of body found in PBC canal

Authorities are reheating a decades-old cold case involving the discovery of unidentified human remains in 1979.

cw34.com

'SOUTH BAY, Fla. (CBS12) — Authorities are reheating a decades-old cold case involving the discovery of unidentified human remains more than 46 years ago.''

Detective John Cogburn of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit is leading the investigation. Those with information can call anonymously at Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-8477. Detective Cogburn can also be reached directly at (561) 688-4063 or via email at [email protected].''

 

[madamx]

I was looking at the original sketch he has a pronounced widows peak and almost looks like receding hairline which I noticed that the new drawings do not. Christopher McCoy in that photo looks like he combs his hair forward but could if had that hair pattern. Just a thought