Identified! TX - El Paso, 1519UMTX, WhtMale, 48-58, red hair, tattoos, drowned, Jul'08 - Name withheld

[Melt71]

I can't see this UID in Namus, only in Doe. He is distinctive looking and also very underweight at this height/weight combination.

Unidentified Male

• Date of Discovery: July 31, 2008

• Location of Discovery: El Paso County, Texas

• Estimated Date of Death: July 20, 2008

• State of Remains: Unknown

• Cause of Death: Accidental drowning

www.doenetwork.org/cases/1519umtx.html

Unidentified Male

• Date of Discovery: July 31, 2008

• Location of Discovery: El Paso County, Texas

• Estimated Date of Death: July 20, 2008

• State of Remains: Unknown

• Cause of Death: Accidental drowning

Physical Description** Listed information is approximate

• Estimated Age: 48-58 years old

• Race: White

• Gender: Male

• Height: 5'8" to 5'9"

• Weight: 103-113 lbs.

• Hair Color: Light, reddish-brown head hair and a thick red moustache and beard.

• Eye Color: Unknown

• Distinguishing Marks/Features: Very small tattoo of the letter “G” on upper right arm, and another small tattoo on the upper left arm of the letter “S” with a tiny dot underneath it. A crude tattoo about two inches in size on the right forearm near the elbow, depicting a version of the “Zig Zag Man.” Victim had cirrhosis of the liver.

• Dentals: Unknown.

• Fingerprints: Unknown.

• DNA: Unknown.

Clothing & Personal Items

• Clothing: Wearing shoe laces tied around his waist, brown socks, and a black combat boot without laces on his left foot.

• Jewelry: None listed.

• Additional Personal Items: A shirt, cell phone, and eating utensils were found near the body.

Case History - The victim was found in a canal in El Paso.

 

[Melt71]

Texas state UID listing www.dps.texas.gov/mpch/Unidentified/unDetails/U0811001

Of all the red-headed white men missing in the 10 years prior in Namus, most could be ruled out for various reasons such as other tattoos not found on this man. I was left with two possibilities:

Jim Craig Martin, missing from TX in 2007 had a much higher body weight and is presumed to have met with foul play closer to his home. Also no mention of issues with alcohol. www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/18998?nav

Douglas Andrew Reis went missing from CA in 2002 seems to have the thick hair growth that the recon of the UID shows. There are few details on his case to determine whether he may have had issues that caused him to 'drop out' and travel to TX. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Craelius]

I know with 100 percent certainty the identity of this John Doe. About a year ago I reported this to the El Paso County Coroner. They said they would work on it but I have not heard back from them. I guess it is time to get back with them and follow up on the case. I just noticed the link to the Missing Persons Clearinghouse, I will contact them.

The deceased is not in any missing persons database. I have known him since childhood. He was homeless by choice and lived mostly in El Paso.

 

[Melt71]

Thank you @Craelius have you been able to put any direct family members in contact with Law Enforcement so they can push the cash along? Hoping for resolution soon. Thank you for your efforts.

 

[Craelius]

It is difficult to describe. We have been waiting patiently to hear something from the coroner's office rather than actively seeking some kind of official resolution from them. Just finding the listing on Doe Network was confirmation for his family.

The deceased is my brother in law, I knew him since he was 4 years old, and married his sister. He used to call every six months or so just to let us know he was OK. When we stopped hearing from him, we guessed he may have died, but we didn't know who to contact or where to look. I don't want it to sound like nobody loved him, because we did very much, but he was a grown man and lived life his own way, and we did not actively look for him.

About a year and a half ago something compelled me to start reading about other Doe cases. That is when I discovered Websleuths and resources such as Doe Network. Once I knew about those websites it was easy to find his listing.

I talked to the coroner about it a couple of times on the phone and they indicated it would take several months to resolve. Then the Coronavirus came around and I figured the coroner had more immediate work to take care of. So until now I haven't followed up. I didn't see this thread until today, but I did see him mentioned before on a thread about tattoos.

 

[musicaljoke]

I hope for your family's sake, that this can be resolved quickly. Thank you for following up on it with LE, and thank you for letting us know here.

May this man be laid to rest. My sympathies to all who loved him.

 

[Melt71]

I don't want it to sound like nobody loved him, because we did very much, but he was a grown man and lived life his own way, and we did not actively look for him.

No judgement from any of us here [hugs]. I hope your family rests a little easier having found him.

 

[TheBlackParade]

I talked to the coroner about it a couple of times on the phone and they indicated it would take several months to resolve. Then the Coronavirus came around and I figured the coroner had more immediate work to take care of. So until now I haven't followed up. I didn't see this thread until today, but I did see him mentioned before on a thread about tattoos.

Amazing to hear! Keep on the coroner's office! I'm sure they're busy but cold cases always get put on the back burner. Your family deserves to put him to rest!

 

[Grungster]

It is difficult to describe. We have been waiting patiently to hear something from the coroner's office rather than actively seeking some kind of official resolution from them. Just finding the listing on Doe Network was confirmation for his family.

The deceased is my brother in law, I knew him since he was 4 years old, and married his sister. He used to call every six months or so just to let us know he was OK. When we stopped hearing from him, we guessed he may have died, but we didn't know who to contact or where to look. I don't want it to sound like nobody loved him, because we did very much, but he was a grown man and lived life his own way, and we did not actively look for him.

About a year and a half ago something compelled me to start reading about other Doe cases. That is when I discovered Websleuths and resources such as Doe Network. Once I knew about those websites it was easy to find his listing.

I talked to the coroner about it a couple of times on the phone and they indicated it would take several months to resolve. Then the Coronavirus came around and I figured the coroner had more immediate work to take care of. So until now I haven't followed up. I didn't see this thread until today, but I did see him mentioned before on a thread about tattoos.

My thoughts are with you and your family, as it appears an official confirmation has been made on your brother in laws identity.

 

[Grungster]

His doe network page indicates he has been identified and I can’t see him on NamUs.

 

[YaYa_521]

Rest in peace, Sir.

 

[Craelius]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and kind words. I was not aware until now that he had been marked as identified on the Doe Network page and was no longer on NamUs. We have not been contacted by any of the organizations involved. Not sure if this is normal procedure. I need to follow up on this, haven't done so yet.