Resolved OK - Tulsa, Hisp/NativeMale, UP57997, undressed then jumped in river, clothes left in pile, May'19 - namus removed

[Gardener1850]

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP57997
ME/C Case Number 2019-030937

Circumstances
Type Unidentified Deceased
Date Found May 26, 2019
NamUs Case Created June 13, 2019
ME/C QA Reviewed--
Location Found Map
General Location 1400 Southwest Blvd Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
Tulsa County
GPS Coordinates--
Circumstances of Recovery
This unknown subject reportedly was standing completely naked on the railing of the Southwest Blvd bridge over the Arkansas River on 05/26/19 at approximately 1015 PM. As the witness yelled out to the victim he jumped into the river. The river was in a flood stage at that time. The flows coming down the river were approximately 94000 cfs.

Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Gardener1850]

More photos:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Wild Rose]

I don't understand the part about non recognizable from decomposition and putrefaction if he was seen jumping at 10 p.m. That night and body recovered on the same day. Am I missing something???

 

[Wild Rose]

Also, his jean shorts look completely dirty but his shirt doesn't have any stains and his socks look brand new??? And shoes are not that dirty for being worn???

 

[Gardener1850]

I don't understand the part about non recognizable from decomposition and putrefaction if he was seen jumping at 10 p.m. That night and body recovered on the same day. Am I missing something???

I agree, it feels like we are missing some information.

 

[Lewie]

I’m also confused about the clothes. I thought he was naked?

 

[janewall]

I don't understand the part about non recognizable from decomposition and putrefaction if he was seen jumping at 10 p.m. That night and body recovered on the same day. Am I missing something???

I think perhaps impact with floodwaters and debris made his features unrecognizable, and the condition/explanation field was filled incorrectly by whoever entered the case, or else they chose one of a fixed set of options none of which really applied to this case. (You'd think "trauma" would be one of the presets on a death report, but whatever. )

I’m also confused about the clothes. I thought he was naked?

From the full set of photos it looks like he took off the clothes while he was standing on the edge of the bridge, and put them in a pile before jumping.

 

[Bit of hope]

The question I have is why did this person took of his clothes in the first place? What were his intentions? Was he intoxicated? When I think of jumping in a river in my mind there is an image of a high bridge and the water deep below. I first thought of suicide but if you look at the picture of the bridge and the water, it doesn't make sense, because the water is so high. It's still can be a suicide if you can't swim, but still the question lingers....why take of your clothes? If he had trauma to the face, making him unrecognizable....when and how did this happen, considering the fact that he could almost just step into the water. Maybe the flow of the river which was very fast did this to the body. I don't know....

 

[MarziPanda]

I still think probable suicide. From the pictures the water does seem high, but that might be a perspective issue. There's every chance that it was a higher fall than it appears. Since the water was flowing so fast (you could even say raging), it was pretty much guaranteed death. He probably knew that. Intoxication is the only other explanation I can think of, honestly. Or possibly a mental health crisis... psychosis? If he was hallucinating I don't think it counts as suicide as he might not have intended to die. Nobody would jump into that sort of river in their right mind.

I hope he gets identified.

 

[mrz]

Since the water was flowing so fast (you could even say raging), it was pretty much guaranteed death.

94000 cfs is ripping! A body in that current could easily be beaten unrecognizable. MOO

 

[ClaireNC]

The way the clothes appear to have been just taken off and thrown in a pile, makes me think this was an “irrational” decision - alcohol, drugs, psychotic break, etc. I wonder if this could be related. Edmond police investigating possibility of laced marijuana on the streets

If people remove their clothes before committing suicide, they are often found folded or stacked neatly in a pile.

 

[kikukohime]

The way the clothes appear to have been just taken off and thrown in a pile, makes me think this was an “irrational” decision - alcohol, drugs, psychotic break, etc. I wonder if this could be related. Edmond police investigating possibility of laced marijuana on the streets

If people remove their clothes before committing suicide, they are often found folded or stacked neatly in a pile.

Flakka could be a very likely possibility :

The drug is infamous for accelerating heart rates, raising blood pressure and body temperature. Paramedics say it is not uncommon for people who have taken Flakka to rip off their clothing, because they are so hot.

Viral videos on the internet show the erratic behavior people can have on the drug. In Charleston, first responders say they have seen people climbing up poles and even swimming the river.

"I've seen some folks that they have the ability to swim all the way across the Kanawha River and back, and then swim part way out again," Robinson said.

Charleston medics see rise in drug that causes 'superhuman strength'

 

[Bit of hope]

The question I have is why did this person took of his clothes in the first place? What were his intentions? Was he intoxicated? When I think of jumping in a river in my mind there is an image of a high bridge and the water deep below. I first thought of suicide but if you look at the picture of the bridge and the water, it doesn't make sense, because the water is so high. It's still can be a suicide if you can't swim, but still the question lingers....why take of your clothes? If he had trauma to the face, making him unrecognizable....when and how did this happen, considering the fact that he could almost just step into the water. Maybe the flow of the river which was very fast did this to the body. I don't know....

Thank you all for giving me a better insight. Thinking about the height of the water; that isn't even that much important, after all. Indeed it could be much higher if you actually stand there. The raging water was enough and going in had irreversible consequences. Someone knew that and went into the water on purpose or wasn't in the right mind. I think suicide/intoxication, hallucinating and/or feeling a 'super human', resistant against the raging water due to drugs or a combination with psychotic behavior is very likely. He could have taken flakka or any other drug. Also a good explanation. Or "just" to much alcohol. It's sad all together.

I wonder if there were any tattoos on the body? Guess not, at least not recognizable anymore, otherwise the would have mentioned that.

 

[Bit of hope]

Nothing to add, no new info.

I wonder why they couldn't at least establish the color of his hair. Was his head never found? Namus doesn't say only partial remains, so I guess it was. Was the witness unable to give a clue about his age? It was dark I suppose (in May, at 10 pm) but there must be some light on the bridge. Considering the raging water, it seems strange to me he went in on 05/26/19 at 10 pm and was found the same day? Did they immediately start searching? Did the body got stuck somewhere near the place he jumped? You would expect the body to be swept away over a huge distance.

His race was multiple: Hispanic / Latino, American Indian / Alaska Native. Could he also be from Mexico, from a Mexican Indian tribe? Not sure how this works.

I was thinking about this missing guy, but there is no way to compare him with John Doe. I feel sad this young boy went missing in 2017 at the age of 13 and there isn't even a picture of him. That's why I wanted to mention him here.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I hope they got DNA on file for John Doe and one day there can be a match. I don't see it "fixed" in any other way.

 

[DS2021]

Still no ruleouts.

 

[iulia]

His NamUs page is down but the Resolved cases did not go up.

 

[bombardier]

His NamUs page is down but the Resolved cases did not go up.

Hey, when you say resolved cases, does NamUs have a feature that shows all resolved cases? I've never seen it!

 

[iulia]

Hey, when you say resolved cases, does NamUs have a feature that shows all resolved cases? I've never seen it!

Yes, it does have a counter. Just total numbers, not individual cases, but it's very helpful if you keep count.
It's at the bottom of this page: Home

 

[Bit of hope]

His NamUs page is down but the Resolved cases did not go up.

Could he have been "moved" to the unclaimed section?

 

[iulia]

Could he have been "moved" to the unclaimed section?

I checked the Oklahoma Unclaimed persons and there hasn't been any activity in the past couple of weeks.
There were a couple of instances in the past with Oklahoma UIDs, when the Resolved cases increased with no visible case removed, most recently in November, so maybe there is a chance he is indeed identified and the number will increase later.