WA WA - Kirkland, marshy area, WhtMale 25-35, UP16334, ''Bicycle Man'', silver bike, clothes, Dec'85

[Romulus]

The Doe Network:
Case File 370UMWA

Reconstruction of Victim

Unidentified White Male

• 
  [*]Discovered on December 8, 1985 in Kirkland, King County, Washington.
• Cause of death: Exposure hypothermia

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Vital Statistics

• 
  [*]Estimated age: Middle-aged
  [*]Distinguishing Characteristics: Wavy brown beard; a light reddish-brown mustache.
  [*]Distinguishing Marks: He had a 4-inch abdominal surgical scar.
  [*]Clothing: Gray sweatpants, a Nike windbreaker, a long-sleeve navy hooded sweatshirt with a picture of an apple and the word "Washington." He also wore a blue-and-white T-shirt that read "Puritan, the sporting life."
• AKA: Known as "Bicycle Man"

---

Case History
The victim was a transient who died from exposure in the Yarrow Bay lowlands. Earlier he was seen riding a well-cared-for gray 10-speed bike in the area.
The Bicycle Man lived in the Kirkland area and was a familiar sight to police, who occasionally stopped and chatted with him. No one, however, knew his name.
He was lying under a plastic tarp under blackberry bushes in the Yarrow Bay lowlands. Police found his bicycle next to him.
He would ride through the area on his silver 10-speed bicycle, with its shiny spokes and wheel rims. Bicycle Man used a sturdy lock to keep his prized possession secured, and investigators hoped to identify him through locksmiths.

---

Investigators
If you have any information about this case please contact:
King County Medical Examiner
206-731-3232 ext. 1
You may remain anonymous when submitting information.
Agency Case Number:
85-1358
Source Information:
NAMUS https://www.identifyus.org/en/cases/16334

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/370umwa.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Times 3/13/88

 

[ghostINshell]

Bump

Sent from my SM-G386T using Tapatalk

 

[madamx]

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1032dmny.html



Mark David Zeichner
Missing since June 15, 1984 from New York City, New York.
Classification: Missing



Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: December 23, 1949
Age at Time of Disappearance: 34 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 6'0"; 180 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Brown hair; brown eyes. He has a history of mental illness.
Marks, Scars: Multiple scars on right and left wrists
Jewelry: He was wearing a round, metal band on his wrist.
Dentals: Not available
Medical Conditions: Mark has a history of mental illness. He is a manic-depressive who had once attempted suicide.




Circumstances of Disappearance
Zeichner was last seen on June 15, 1984, in his Queens apartment, in New York City, NY. His clothes still hung in the closets.

 

[MadMcGoo]

• NamUs UP16334
• The Doe Network 370UMWA

Date Body Found: December 8, 1985
Location Found: Kirkland, King County, Washington
Condition of Remains: Recognizable face
Sex: Male
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Estimated Age: Adult - Pre 40; 25-35
Estimated Year of Death: 1985
Measured Height: 5' 11" (71 inches)
Measured Weight: 160 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown; wavy
Facial Hair: Wavy brown beard and a light reddish-brown mustache
Eye Color: Brown
Scar/mark: 4-inch abdominal scar

Clothing/Accessories/Personal Items
- Gray 'Russell Athletic' sweatpants, size large
- Blue 'Russell Athletic' sweatpants, size large
- Light blue boxer shorts with label "Arrow Brigade 34"
- Blue 'Nike' windbreaker, size large
- Blue, white and red striped t-shirt 'Puritan The Sporting Life' brand
- A long sleeve navy hooded sweatshirt with a picture of an apple and the word "Washington" on it in white
- 'Woolrich' black lightweight jacket, size medium
- Brown and blue 'Nike' running type shoes of large size, definite size not identified
- Two pairs of navy blue socks
- Silver 10-speed bike, serial #J2508512

Circumstances of Recovery: (per NamUs) Subject was located in a marshy area wrapped in a sleeping bag and plastic, possibly trying to stay warm in a snowstorm.

Case History: (per The Doe Network) The victim was a transient who died from exposure in the Yarrow Bay lowlands. Earlier he was seen riding a well-cared-for gray 10-speed bike in the area. The Bicycle Man lived in the Kirkland area and was a familiar sight to police, who occasionally stopped and chatted with him. No one, however, knew his name. He was lying under a plastic tarp under blackberry bushes in the Yarrow Bay lowlands. Police found his bicycle next to him. He would ride through the area on his silver 10-speed bicycle, with its shiny spokes and wheel rims. Bicycle Man used a sturdy lock to keep his prized possession secured, and investigators hoped to identify him through locksmiths.

Investigating Agencies
Kirkland Police Department
Misty Velotta, Police Support: (425) 587-3400
Agency Case Number: 85-4584
King County Medical Examiner's Office
Katherine Taylor, Forensic Anthropologist: (206) 731-3232

0 Missing Person Exclusions

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I think I submitted Timothy Coulson a few months ago-seems like the stats match up.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Refreshing the thread...

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I never heard back about Timothy Coulson but it does seem that he could possibly be this John Doe.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I never heard back about Timothy Coulson but it does seem that he could possibly be this John Doe.

Yes, please keep us updated. Hopefully you hear back from them.

 

[ProductiveOne]

Not staying here long but thought I'd post what I've submitted to two agencies:

Karel Szabo immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia in 1984. After a short stay in Kitchener, Canada, Mr. Szabo family began receiving postcard from him as he toured throughout the United States. In April 1985, his family stopped receiving postcards from him.

On December 8, 1985, an unidentified man was found "in a marshy area wrapped in a sleeping bag and plastic, possibly trying to stay warm in a snowstorm" in Kirkland, Washington.

What matches:
-Timeline
-Age, Race
-Hair and *Eye color
-Height and Weight within reason
-Wavy hair with similar length and style
-Beard is identical
-Head shape and facial structure
-Nose and mouth appear to be identical
-Sweatpants
-Abdominal scar

*While the unidentified's eye appears to be blue (iris too large as well) in the artist's rendering, his eyes are actually brown.

Karel Szabo

Ontario's Missing Adults

Unidentified male

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

See less

 

[ProductiveOne]

...

Karel Szabo immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia in 1984. After a short stay in Kitchener, Canada, Mr. Szabo family began receiving postcard from him as he toured throughout the United States. In April 1985, his family stopped receiving postcards from him.

...

Correction: His family stopped receiving postcards in mid-February, 1985.

 

[ProductiveOne]

Not staying here long but thought I'd post what I've submitted to two agencies:

Karel Szabo immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia in 1984. After a short stay in Kitchener, Canada, Mr. Szabo family began receiving postcard from him as he toured throughout the United States. In April 1985, his family stopped receiving postcards from him.

On December 8, 1985, an unidentified man was found "in a marshy area wrapped in a sleeping bag and plastic, possibly trying to stay warm in a snowstorm" in Kirkland, Washington.

View attachment 414067

What matches:
-Timeline
-Age, Race
-Hair and *Eye color
-Height and Weight within reason
-Wavy hair with similar length and style
-Beard is identical
-Head shape and facial structure
-Nose and mouth appear to be identical
-Sweatpants
-Abdominal scar

*While the unidentified's eye appears to be blue (iris too large as well) in the artist's rendering, his eyes are actually brown.

Karel Szabo

Ontario's Missing Adults

Unidentified male

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

See less

Submission update: Detectives believe that they're in their "final stages of sibling DNA comparison."

His family may finally have answers to their loved one after all these years.

 

[AirForceVet24]

So I have an interesting thought about this case. What about this guy? John Robert Lake missing since 1984 in Vancouver. According to the RCMP he left the hospital he was staying at and was thought to have gone to Seattle. The height, weight, hair color, eye color all match. The age range is also correct as well. I have submitted this to King County medical examiner.

 

[Caring1]

Identified as William D. Horn

February 10, 2026

The Kirkland Police Department says a man found dead in Kirkland in 1985 has been identified after four decades, thanks to advances in forensic science and genetic genealogy.

Police said the man, previously known as John Doe, has been identified as William D. Horn, who was 35 years old at the time of his death.

His death was attributed to hypothermia and classified as probably accidental.

Investigators were able to obtain a DNA profile from a femur bone.

Kirkland police identify man found dead in 1985 using genetic genealogy

His body was discovered on Dec. 8, 1985, in a sheltered area surrounded by blackberry bushes.

www.kiro7.com

 

[dotr]

After 40 Years, Bicycle Man (1985) is Identified

Kirkland Police Department and King County Medical Examiner's Office Team with Othram to Identify a 1985 John Doe

dnasolves.com

''In December 1985, the remains of an unidentified man were found in a sleeping bag in a marshy area of Kirkland, Washington, a city in King County. The Kirkland Police Department responded and began collecting evidence and investigating. Investigators believed that the man had died recently and that he was likely trying to stay warm during a snowstorm as his body was wrapped in a sleeping bag and plastic. It was determined that the man was White, between the ages of 25 to 35 years old, stood about 5'11" and approximately 160 pounds.

The man was known in the area as being transient. He rode a silver/gray 10-speed bicycle, but no one knew his actual name. Despite a lengthy investigation, the man could not be identified and became known as King County John Doe (1985). After his death, the man became known as "Bicycle Man." Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP16334.

In March 2025, working with the King County Medical Examiner's Office, the Kirkland Police Department submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas where scientists determined that advanced DNA testing could help identify Bicycle Man. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the provided evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.

Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to the man's potential relatives. Reference DNA samples were collected from a relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unidentified man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be William Horn. Horn was born on August 3, 1950 and was 35 years old when his remains were found.''