NY - New York, UP9015, WhtMale. 45-55, Poss Name or Alias "Mike Bneses", found with tattoos - "Bernie" tattoo - May 23, 1991

[Aurora90]

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP9015 Male, White / Caucasian
Date Body Found May 23, 1991
Location Found New York, New York
Estimated Age Range 45-55 Years

Demographics​

Biological Sex Male
Race / Ethnicity White / Caucasian
Possible First Name--
Possible Middle Name--
Possible Last Name--
Nickname/Alias--
Estimated Age Group Adult - Pre 60
Estimated Age Range (Years)45-55
Estimated Year of Death1991
Estimated PMI Days
Height5' 9"(69 inches) , Measured
Weight 155lbs, Measured

Circumstances​

TypeUnidentified Deceased
Date Body Found May 23, 1991
NamUs Case Created August 2, 2011
ME/C QA Reviewed August 2, 2011

Location Found​

Location New York, New York
County New York County
GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped)40.753133, -74.009834
Found On Tribal Land No

Circumstances of Recovery:
Unknown male was found floating in the Hudson River off Pier 66 at West 27th Street. Tentative name: Mike Bneses, a homeless man known in the area. Was last seen about a week prior when he fell off the pier, but was witnessed to be swimming towards shore.

---

Details of Recovery​

Inventory of Remains All parts recovered
Condition of Remains Recognizable face

Physical Description​

Hair Color Gray or Partially Gray
Head Hair Description 2"
Body Hair Description mustache
Left Eye Color Brown
Right Eye Color Brown

---

Distinctive Physical Features​

Scar/mark
midline scar on abdomen, linear scars on anterior right thigh

Tattoo
amateur tattoo placed over abdominal scar, show a large female head; professional tattoo of a dagger and intertwined chain on left forearm; amateur tattoo over scars on anterior right thigh "Bernie"

Clothing and Accessories​

Accessories
Medicare card, welfare card, and hospital ID card, all with the name "Mike Bneses"


Clothing
gray long sleeve sweatshirt, black vest, black socks, blue jeans, black laced work boots

 

[Aurora90]

PEOPLE v. BNESES​

October 5, 1977
The People of the State of New York, Plaintiff, v. Mike Bneses, Defendant.
Supreme Court, Trial Term, New York County.

 

[Aurora90]

Is this John Doe unidentified or simply unclaimed?

 

[wtiger]

seems to be officially unidentified albeit with a suspected name

 

[wtiger]

i have found a listing for a Mike Bneses born 1940 in puerto rico - formerly residing in houston Texas

strangely he has a date of death listed as may 1998!

 

[Hochman]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

link to case

 

[Nate_Bro]

i have found a listing for a Mike Bneses born 1940 in puerto rico - formerly residing in houston Texas

strangely he has a date of death listed as may 1998!

Can someone in NY request any of the records? Or Texas for the marriage license? That death date could be the date the court declared him dead? I'm also wondering if his name is spelled incorrectly, (either intentionally or unintentionally).

Mike Bneses could have been Miguel Benitez for example. There is also aliases listed
Alias
Mike Baneses
Mike Benes

I'm leaning towards a forged identity. I can't find anything about the parents or the wife except that there was a Lorenza Telles that died as an infant in El Paso (where he later married). He may have got a copy of her birth certificate to fake a marriage? (just thinking out loud here)

Lorenza Telles (1939-1939) - Find a Grave Memorial

Name Lorenza Telles Gender Female Race White Death Age 0 Birth Date 12 Jul 1939 Birth Place El Paso, Texas Residence Date Abt 1939 Residence Place Canutillo, Texas, USA Death Date 31 Jul 1939 Death Place Precinct 6, El Paso, Texas, USA Father Eusebio Telles Mother Macaria Aragon

www.findagrave.com

It's also probable that he had a real Mike Bneses' documents and the real guy did die in 1998. His residence is listed as Residence from 1 June 1996 to 13 July 2001 Houston, Texas, United States so if that was a census someone would have had to respond to it?

 

[ninetimesfifteen]

I find it hard to believe that real Mike Bneses was seen falling off a pier and then soon after another man carrying his identification is found floating in the same river. Mike was born in San German, PR as Miguel Bneses.

It says "post entitlement report of death from the title2 system" on the death file if anyone knows what the heck that means.

 

[The4TierBridge]

I find it hard to believe that real Mike Bneses was seen falling off a pier and then soon after another man carrying his identification is found floating in the same river. Mike was born in San German, PR as Miguel Bneses.

It says "post entitlement report of death from the title2 system" on the death file if anyone knows what the heck that means.

I think they were trying to say that the man may have previously stolen the Mike Bneses identity some time before he died.

 

[ninetimesfifteen]

I think they were trying to say that the man may have previously stolen the Mike Bneses identity some time before he died.

Maybe, but Mike being a former convict makes his identity less than desirable for theft.