NM NM - McKinley Co, UncMale 18-99, Sheepskin, Pendleton blanket, clothes, Dec '09

[Goecke]

Not much information on this case but I found the circumstances strange enough to make a thread for him.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Sex: Male
Race / Ethnicity: Uncertain
Possible First Name--
Possible Middle Name--
Possible Last Name--
Possible Nickname--
Estimated Age Group: Adult
Estimated Age Range (Years) 18-99
Estimated Year of Death: 2009
Estimated PMI--
Height: Cannot Estimate
Weight: Cannot Estimate

Type:Unidentified Deceased
Date Found: December 2, 2009
NamUs Case Created: February 28, 2011
ME/C QA Reviewed: March 7, 2011

Location Found:
Street Address: 5 miles west of RA #3285 off SR 509
Rural, New Mexico
County: McKinley County
GPS Coordinates: 35.45694, 107.4797
Circumstances of Recovery: Remains were found by hunters prior to snow storm. Unabe to get to area due to the snow. Hunters took law enforcement back out to area. Remains were laying on sheep skin, wrapped in pendleton blanket, quilt on top of that, then a canvas tarp was laid over. Land is on native american reservation, although their LE stated that they had not had any recent traditional ceremonies in the area.

Details of Discovery:
Inventory of Remains: All parts recovered
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton

Physical Description:
Hair Color--
Head Hair Description: No hair recovered
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye Color: Unknown or Missing
Right Eye Color: Unknown or Missing
Eye Description--
Distinctive Physical Features: No known information

Clothing and Accessories: brown corderoy coat, blue and white bandana, blue ball cap, button front vest, long sleeved white shirt w/red pattern, jeans w/metal brads, cinch type belt, maroon hat w/ear flaps

 

[Goecke]

The Pendleton blanket stands out to me. They're very common in the Southwest, but also expensive- they're usually around $100 and I even found some 100% wool ones for over $250. Doesn't seem like the most ideal choice to dispose of a body in. Same with the sheepskin.

 

[Melt71]

Dental xrays for this UID are uploaded in Namus - doesn't appear to have had many teeth remaining.

Location Found:
Street Address: 5 miles west of RA #3285 off SR 509

SR509 (red on the map) is only 39 miles long (red on the map below). It begins close to one of the exits from I-40 (blue on the map)

Also in 2009 when this UID was found, there was also a short freight train line in the area, the Escalante Western, which was used for coal-hauling. The line closed in 2020. I am a bit spatially challenged, so had trouble working out how close the rail line may have been to this UID's location.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Bumping case up.
With an almost complete skeleton, I wish they would take another try to narrowing down his age range and height.

There are so many missing men he could be from NM or surrounding states.
Just one example is MP53875. He stands out to me because he is Native American and likes to wear caps. Missing from AZ in 2008.

 

[Melt71]

Namus case was updated on 30 June. Still no ruleouts listed.