OK OK - Tulsa, Unknown pre-70, UP4888, skull and 30 bones inside closet, est. PMI 25 years, Sep’78

[lightofmine99]

Tulsa Bones Doe (1978)
UP4888 (NU)​

Circumstances:
Approx. 30 human bones and a human skull were found in a closet of a deserted apartment building, and were found in layers of trash along with some animal bones. In the space where the bones were found, at one time, was occupied by Brown's Funeral Home (some 25 years ago). However, it was converted into an apartment home and was only vacated in Feb. 1978.

Spoiler: CASE INFORMATION

Case Numbers:

• NamUs: UP4888
• Doe Network: N/A
• ME/C: 787735

Overview:

• Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Tulsa Co.)
• Date Body Found: September 12, 1978.
• NamUs Created: February 25, 2009.
• Tribal Land: YES
• PMI: 25 years
  • Est. YOD: 1953-1978
• State of Remains: Not recognizable.
  • Near complete or complete skeleton.
  • One or more limbs not recovered.
• Cause of Death: N/A

Physical:

• Sex: Unknown
• Race/Ethnicity: Unknown
• Age: 60-70 (adult, pre-70)
• Height: 5'6" (66 in.), est.
• Weight: Cannot estimate.
• Hair: Unknown
• Eye: Unknown

Identifiers:

• Dentals: Unknown
• DNA: Unknown
• Prints: Unknown
• Marks / Features: Unknown

Personal Effects:

• Clothing: N/A
• Jewelry: N/A
• Add'l Items: N/A

Links:

• NamUs: UP4888 (ARCHIVE)
• Oklahoma Cold Cases: John Doe 1978 (ARCHIVE)

Notes:

NamUs still lists this Doe as being “unknown” regarding sex and race. However, a website for Oklahoma Cold Cases lists this Doe as an African American male. The one public comparison for this Doe matches this specification.

** This case is being investigated by the Tulsa Police Dept. and Eastern Oklahoma Medical Examiner. **​

 

[lightofmine99]

As of May 12, 2025 there is ONE public exclusion:

Joseph Edwards (MP4093) - Missing from Louisiana since 1964.

 

[The4TierBridge]

This person is now listed in NamUs in female. They were previously listed as male (as of October 2024) and then as uncertain (as of May 2025).

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov