LA LA - Buras, Miss River, AsianMale 35-45, UP14650, noose around neck, dental fillings, 1991

[breachtones]

Startling lack of info here. I would assume a lot of records have been lost due to Katrina unfortunately.

Plaquemines Parish John Doe (1991)

Date of Discovery: 1991 (exact date unknown)
Location of Discovery: Plaquemines Parish near Buras, Louisiana
Estimated Date of Death: A few days prior
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton
Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 35-45 years old
Race: Asian
Gender: Male
Height: 5'5" to 5'7"
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers
Dentals: Available. He had dental fillings.
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery
The victim's remains were recovered from the Mississippi River near Buras, Louisiana. A noose was around his neck.

Although authorities think the man was a Korean crew member on a ship, the clay reconstruction of his skull was not similar enough to a photo of the missing seaman to make a positive identification.

- 206UMLA
- Plaquemines Parish John Doe (1991)
- Case #91-06 - LA Repository for Unidentified & Missing People
- Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP14650

 

[breachtones]

I really don't know what's going on here. You surely can't rule someone out by just a clay reconstruction of the skull? Not sure how they don't know the exact date of recovery either. The Times-Picayune is listed as a source newspaper so perhaps there are reports from it or other newspapers that narrow down the timeframe he was found.

I'm also not sure how the body got completely skeletonized if it was floating in a river for just a few days. I know southern Louisiana is super humid but I find it hard to believe it skeletonized that quickly.

I've heard NOLA and Buras have strong Asian communities. Might be a local.

 

[Springrain]

I really don't know what's going on here. You surely can't rule someone out by just a clay reconstruction of the skull? Not sure how they don't know the exact date of recovery either. The Times-Picayune is listed as a source newspaper so perhaps there are reports from it or other newspapers that narrow down the timeframe he was found.

I'm also not sure how the body got completely skeletonized if it was floating in a river for just a few days. I know southern Louisiana is super humid but I find it hard to believe it skeletonized that quickly.

I've heard NOLA and Buras have strong Asian communities. Might be a local.

These are my exact same questions, especially considering the one clay bust is not very distinctive and really doesn't look that Asian. Realistically, he probably was the missing Korean crew member. What was LE telling these crew members? I'm sure being in water might affect the decomposition process, but to skeletonize a body in a few days? Why don't they even have a season that they discovered the remains? 1991 was only 31 years ago. There are cases from the 50s and 60s with better records.

I am truly baffled by every aspect of this case.

 

[Springrain]

I'd like to know more about the missing Korean crew member. I'm sure there is nothing available, but I am curious.