Identified! TX - Texas City, WhtMale UP14589, 17-19, hit by car on Gulf Fwy, Aug'73 Joseph Spears

[JusticeWillBeServed]

RIP Joseph

A subscription is needed to read the whole article. Hopefully another site will publish soon.

Galveston County authorities identify, release exhumed body to family

http://www.galvnews.com/news/article_9a9f15c3-e68b-5dff-9494-2d6012b6b892.html

The medical examiner’s office decided to identify the body based on the timeline, which coincides with Spears’ disappearance, and close visual matches. Both Spears and the body had a small, circular scar on the left wrist, and photos show a clear resemblance, officials said.

 

[taramarie]

I purchased one-day access to the online newspaper from the above link. Probably can't copy/paste the article here, but I've saved the text & the photos. Basically, Joseph's family has spent years looking for him.The body of the unknown man was exhumed in February, but they were unable to extract DNA after attempting to match 3 different samples. They have matched with Joseph base on timeline, visual matches, & the wrist scar. However, they've not given up on a DNA match & have sent samples to a lab which specializes in testing old remains. Based on the visual identification, he will be sent to his family & buried next to his brother. RIP Joseph.

 

[Dionysia]

RIP Joey. I'm glad you're going home to your family.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

43 years later: Remains ID'd as missing Harrison Co. teen

Harrison County teen missing for 43 years finally identified

A Harrison County resident missing for 43 years has been positively identified as the unidentified teen killed in Texas City, Texas, in 1973.

Mary Raskin, mother of missing teen Joseph “Joey” Norman Spears, ended up looking at pictures of her son’s body to positively identify him, Harrison County Sheriff’s Investigator Kristi Johnson said Monday.

Officials with the Galveston medical examiner’s office were unable to get a proper DNA sample from Spears’ body to confirm the identity, Johnson said. Instead, they called on Harrison County cold case investigators to provide all the facts they had on the case for comparison to the evidence Texas officials had on hand.

Mary Raskin, Spears’ mother, identified her son.

“I have mixed emotions,” Johnson said after learning the news. “I am relieved the case is solved but I know it’s not the outcome Mrs. Raskin was hoping for. I’m sad for her but I’m glad she is getting the answers she was searching for for 43 years. The family has shared their appreciation for us working on this.”

 

[rats]

Whoo! I'm so glad that he could be identified after all these years.

(Shouldn't this be moved to the Identified section?)

 

[vermontaigne]

Congrats!

 

[Jake479]

R.I.P Joseph Norman Spears

 

[Tony1902]

Is this not wonderful ?!?! Isn't this why we are here?! Rest in peace, sha 'ti bébé, you will be home soon. To all of you:
:goldcrown::grouphug::cheers:

 

[biscuits222]

I just saw this talked about on another site and was a bit shocked. I'd become disenchanted with attempting matches and had given up hope of ever being correct about any of my attempts, but here we are. Maybe I'll get back into it.

Michael Nance responded and said the possibility of Joseph Spears is currently being explored by Harrison County Sherriff's Office and Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office.

I took this to mean that others had already submitted Joseph as a possible match before I did, so I wouldn't expect credit - it was on Namus for a week before I mentioned it on here, others must have noticed it. Even if someone submitted the idea before I did after they saw the thread, I wouldn't mind, since I've been reluctant to submit ideas out of fear of annoying Namus folks. I've done a few other attempted match-ups that I still haven't submitted. I'll recheck these cases and maybe send them in.

 

[anonymess]

Well done, biscuits222. I have also been reluctant to submit. Very motivating!

 

[Richrd]

Added Newspaper Photo

“Joey” Norman Spears, 17


http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/harrison-county/article95776247.html​

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