OR OR - Coos County, UnkMale, 18-30, UP10888, book w/ 1965 date, rusted pistol, Sept'83

[heartanium]

Quite an interesting case, don't think he has a thread?

NAMUS UP10888
2578UMOR
Unidentified Male
Location Found: Coos County, Oregon
Date Found: September 27, 1983

Race: Unknown
PMI: Years
Estimated year of Death: 1965-1983
Estimated Age: 18-30 Years
Height: 5' 9"(69 inches) , Estimated
Weight: Unknown
Hair: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Clothing: "remnants of clothing on the lower body", no description in report; "Shoes", no description in report
Accessories: Pocket knife, hunting knife, coins, an auto key, a heavily rusted and corroded 9mm semi-automatic pistol; Pocket watch
Circumstances: The remains of an adult male was discovered in a heavily wooded area west of highway 101. The remains appeared to have been there for a number of years; a book binding was found with a 1965 date on it.

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

Identifiers:
Dentals: Available.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Not available.

Agency Info:
ME/C Case Number: 83-2137

Coos County Medical Examiner's Office - (541) 396-7554
Case Number: Unknown
Kristine Karcher, Chief Deputy Medical Examiner

​

Oregon State Police - State Medical Examiners Office - (971) 673-8200​

Case Number: Unknown
Veronica "Nici" Vance, Forensic Anthropologist

0 Exclusions

 

[heartanium]

Duncan, Joe "Authorities seek to clear up mystery of skeletal remains," The World (Coos Bay, Oregon), September 29, 1983, pg 1.

"a human skeleton [was] found this week by a mushroom picker in a remote section of the Coos County Forest about 10 miles south of Coos Bay....three quarters of a mile west of Highway 101." If I'm guessing he was found about here.

"Officials uncovered a German-made P-38 Walther 9mm semi-automatic pistol beside the skeleton and a shell casing that apparently came from the rust-caked gun."

Photo of the handgun included in the article:

Walther P38 on Wikipedia:

"A white metal pocket watch and the crumbling remnants of what was once apparently a Worldbook Encyclopedia yearbook were uncovered a few feet from the skeleton. The yearbook was dated 1965."

Copy of the Encyclopedia off ebay:

"The latest minting date on any of the several coins...was 1964."

"Also [found] were two knives - one hunting knife with a leather handle and a small multi-bladed pocket knife with black plastic grips."

 

[heartanium]

"Some leads," The World (Coos Bay, Oregon), October 1, 1983, pg 2.

Authorities tracking down leads," The World (Coos Bay, Oregon), October 12, 1983, pg 2

"Police have two possible leads in the identification of a human skeleton found Sept. 27."

"A third lead proved a dead end for Oregon State Police investigators found the medical and military records of the missing man had been destroyed."

"Identity still not known," The World (Coos Bay, Oregon), November 16, 1983, pg 2.

"an autopsy of the remains indicates the man died from a gunshot wound to the head....the entry and exit holes in the skull are "very consistent with a gunshot wound at close range.""

"the death was probably a suicide...but homicide cannot be ruled out."

"The man was probably 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed between 140 and 150 pounds."

"The only lead in identifying the remains is one involving a car found abandoned along Highway 101 near the site in 1964 or 1965."

"A state police officer in Medford formally assigned to Coos County remembers a California man in his early twenties abandoned the car and vanished."

"Identity sought," The World (Coos Bay, Oregon), December 31, 1983, pg 3.

"We suspect it was somebody that disappeared about 1966."

"The remains are those of a white male about 22 years old at the time of his death."

"The Medford-based officer is searching his old notebooks in an attempt to come up with the vehicle owner's name."

After this article I can't find any further coverage.

 

[heartanium]

Throwing out some names:

Howard Frederick Kley - MP52140
Missing From: Coos Bay, Coos County Oregon
Date Missing: January 26, 1966
Age: 53 years
Height: 5' 6" - 5' 8" (66 - 68 Inches)
Weight: 170 - 180 lbs
Accessories:
Wore a wrist watch on his left wrist, it was his 25 year anniversary watch from Shell Oil corporation and may have been inscribed with his name, Shell Oil, and dated 1958; it may have been gold in color with a white/ivory face
Circumstances:
Howard Kley, a resident of San Francisco, CA, was in Coos Bay, OR for business when he was last seen. He had dinner with work associates and was supposed to meet up with them again the next morning but never arrived. He was last seen in the Starlight room in the Chandler Hotel in Coos Bay around midnight on Wednesday, January 26, 1966, early morning hours of Thursday, January 27th. In the hotel where he was staying, his luggage was in the room but the bed was never slept in.

He's the closest match distance wise and is about the right height/weight, and also had a watch. He fits the narrative of a Californian man who went missing in the mid 1960's but he's far older the age range for this Doe. Shocked he hasn't been ruled out by pure proximity though.

Douglas Richard Smith - MP70488
Missing From: Mountain View, Santa Clara County, California
Age: 23 years
Date Missing: November 25, 1968
Height: 5' 9" (69 Inches)
Weight: 150 lbs
Circumstances:
LTjg Douglas Smith was an officer in the U. S. Navy stationed with VP-19 at Moffett Field, CA. He was last seen on 25 November 1968, but failed to report for duty on 26 November. His car (1967 Volkswagen 113) disappeared at the same time. He has not been seen or heard from since.

Daniel Gerry Taylor - MP89642
Missing From: San Francisco, San Francisco County, California
Date Missing: July 1, 1967
Age: 20 Years
Height: 5' 7" - 5' 10" (67 - 70 Inches)
Weight: 130 - 160 lbs
Circumstances: Sister reports speaking to him in July of 1967. Said he was going to Nebraska with a few friends and would return in a few weeks and never returned.

Marvin Blake Shahan - MP51388
Missing From: El Cajon, Ventura County, California
Date Missing: November 1, 1969
Age: 25 years
Height: 5' 9" (69 Inches)
Weight: 160 lbs
Circumstances: Marvin was last seen at his sister's residence in El Cajon.

 

[MadMcGoo]

That abandoned vehicle seems like a good lead. I’m guessing that officer never found his notebook or the vehicle wasn’t related.

I think Kley should be submitted despite the age difference.

 

[heartanium]

That abandoned vehicle seems like a good lead. I’m guessing that officer never found his notebook or the vehicle wasn’t related.

I think Kley should be submitted despite the age difference.

My guess is the notebook wasn't found - 1966 to 1983 is a good chunk of time unfortunately.

If I'm routing correctly - Kley went missing about a 14 min drive / 10 miles from where this body was found. I'm going to submit him to Namus when I get a chance.

I'm hoping this body is buried and hasn't been cremated though.

 

[Beccalicious]

Bumping

 

[erlysunsets]

Honestly, I think Jimmy Bushbaum seems like a possible match for this one.

He disappeared in September 1965 after escaping from San Quentin prison in California. He had stolen a vehicle that was later found in Emeryville, CA. I think it's entirely possible he stole another vehicle (or several) and made his way up the coast to Coos County. This tracks with the lead on the car found nearby being abandoned by 'a man from California,' as well.

Jimmy was 29 years old when he went missing and is reported as being 5'8" tall.