On January 14, 2006, a body was found lying in the back of a van on eastbound I26 in Charleston, SC. The owner of the van is unknown, and the victim is believed to have been traveling with him. Coroner couldn't determine the cause and manner of death, I found out today. He had a card with him from Mexico, with a name and photo, Gustavo Rosas Hernandez. The reconstruction looks nothing like the photo, and it's probably not him IMO. Police don't know if it's him or not.
SC SC - Charleston, EB I-26, HispMale 18-30, UP8581, van@rest area, "Gustavo Rosas Hernandez", Jan'06
- Thread starter Grungster
- Start date
Here's his Namus link The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
And Doe Network: 1657UMSC
I think Weilin on the belt buckle might be his name. Perhaps it's a variation of Waylon? This databank found 172 Weilins in 15 countries. Argentina is mentioned Weilin - Estadísticas y significado del nombre Weilin. I saw a couple of non-Asian Weilins on facebook (one female) who are both Columbian.
This site says it's estimated that less than 2800 people in the world are named Weilin, representing 0.001% of the population. Nombre Weilin
He was so slight! Just 5'1" and 117 lbs. I wonder what the COD was? I don't think he drank washer fluid, but probably just had some of that berry-flavored Gatorade with him. At first I was thinking antifreeze but washer fluid couldn't be quite so toxic, could it? And that would be a weird way and very strange place to commit suicide.
I guess the registration of the van wasn't of any help.
And Doe Network: 1657UMSC
I think Weilin on the belt buckle might be his name. Perhaps it's a variation of Waylon? This databank found 172 Weilins in 15 countries. Argentina is mentioned Weilin - Estadísticas y significado del nombre Weilin. I saw a couple of non-Asian Weilins on facebook (one female) who are both Columbian.
This site says it's estimated that less than 2800 people in the world are named Weilin, representing 0.001% of the population. Nombre Weilin
He was so slight! Just 5'1" and 117 lbs. I wonder what the COD was? I don't think he drank washer fluid, but probably just had some of that berry-flavored Gatorade with him. At first I was thinking antifreeze but washer fluid couldn't be quite so toxic, could it? And that would be a weird way and very strange place to commit suicide.
I guess the registration of the van wasn't of any help.
Oh thanks! It's so weird, though. Such a young guy. I guess if it wasn't anything really obvious like a trauma, overt pathology, or overdose then it would be more nebulous. I wonder if they suspected or had a hunch that wasn't enough to put into the actual report. Thanks for getting the info about this guy!
Image may help ID man found dead 10 years ago
1 of 3
A facial re-creation of an unidentified young man found dead from natural causes in a van parked at an Interstate 26 rest area in January 2006.
Elyse Miller, a CT technician at Medical University of South Carolina, creates a 3-D image of a skull found in the Wando River in 2006. The images are being forwarded to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children so artists there can complete a re-creation of what the deceased person might have looked like.
The identity of a young man found dead and abandoned in a van at an interstate rest stop has eluded investigators for the past 10 years. Now they hope a computer-enhanced picture will help solve this puzzle.
On Jan. 14, 2006, authorities found the man’s body in the back of a van left parked at a rest area along eastbound Interstate 26, just inside the Charleston County line, Coroner Rae Wooten said.
The man was Hispanic and appeared to be in his late teens or early 20s. He had no identification and nothing in his pockets but a few Mexican pesos and a tiny religious statue, Wooten said. The van had no license plates, and extensive attempts to track down the vehicle’s owner proved fruitless, she said.
“Every lead came to a dead end,” she said.
An autopsy determined the man had died of natural causes, Wooten said. Investigators suspect he might have been in the country illegally, and that the people he was with panicked and fled when he died, leaving his body behind, she said.
He matched no missing-persons reports and no one has come forward over the years to offer a name.
Investigators hope that will change with the publication of a new image produced by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Working with a morgue photo and images of the clothes he was wearing, forensic artists produced a recreation of what he likely looked like in life, Wooten said.
Those with information on the man’s identity can call the coroner’s office at 843-746-4030.
- Glenn Smith
- Apr 30, 2016 Updated Mar 5, 2018
1 of 3
A facial re-creation of an unidentified young man found dead from natural causes in a van parked at an Interstate 26 rest area in January 2006.
Elyse Miller, a CT technician at Medical University of South Carolina, creates a 3-D image of a skull found in the Wando River in 2006. The images are being forwarded to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children so artists there can complete a re-creation of what the deceased person might have looked like.
The identity of a young man found dead and abandoned in a van at an interstate rest stop has eluded investigators for the past 10 years. Now they hope a computer-enhanced picture will help solve this puzzle.
On Jan. 14, 2006, authorities found the man’s body in the back of a van left parked at a rest area along eastbound Interstate 26, just inside the Charleston County line, Coroner Rae Wooten said.
The man was Hispanic and appeared to be in his late teens or early 20s. He had no identification and nothing in his pockets but a few Mexican pesos and a tiny religious statue, Wooten said. The van had no license plates, and extensive attempts to track down the vehicle’s owner proved fruitless, she said.
“Every lead came to a dead end,” she said.
An autopsy determined the man had died of natural causes, Wooten said. Investigators suspect he might have been in the country illegally, and that the people he was with panicked and fled when he died, leaving his body behind, she said.
He matched no missing-persons reports and no one has come forward over the years to offer a name.
Investigators hope that will change with the publication of a new image produced by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Working with a morgue photo and images of the clothes he was wearing, forensic artists produced a recreation of what he likely looked like in life, Wooten said.
Those with information on the man’s identity can call the coroner’s office at 843-746-4030.
I've spoken with the deputy coroner multiple times, she wouldn't have lied, I think there's probably a new development. Someone posted on a Help ID Me facebook post talking about how a man named Gustavo Rosas Hernandez (I think it was a variation) disappeared after crossing the border.
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