The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has released a new forensic facial reconstruction, offering a possible depiction of what John Doe may have looked like before his death. (Photo: Wilmington Police Department)
WILMINGTON— Authorities are renewing their efforts to identify a young man whose remains were discovered in a Wilmington landfill nearly five decades ago.
On April 8, 1978, police were called to a landfill in the 600 block of Terminal Avenue, where they found the body of an unidentified male. Investigators believe he was between 17- 25 years old at the time of his death, and may have been at the site for up to seven years before he was found.
The Wilmington Police Department’s Cold Case Unit has continued working to determine the man’s identity and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Recent findings indicate that the victim had a significant pelvic defect, which likely caused him to walk with a noticeable limp on his right side. It is possible he relied on crutches or a cane.
At the time of his discovery, the man was wearing a bleached blue, long-sleeved “Kent-Collection By Arrow” shirt, along with a pair of bleached Levi’s pants (size 32) and undershorts.
As part of renewed efforts to identify the man, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has released a new forensic facial reconstruction, offering a possible depiction of what he may have looked like before his death.
To aid in the investigation, the Cold Case Unit has partnered with Moxxy Forensic Investigations, which has traced John Doe’s potential ancestral ties to African American communities in Georgetown County, South Carolina, and the state of Delaware.
Kaycee Connelly, Investigative Genetic Genealogist at Moxxy, told Delaware Live that they collaborate with law enforcement agencies, medical examiner’s/coroner’s offices, and other investigating agencies on cases of unidentified human remains or unidentified perpetrators of violent crimes when there is a suitable sample for successful DNA extraction. With a mission to bring closure to the victims, their families, and the agencies involved.
Investigative Genetic Genealogy utilizes a genetic profile that is created by analyzing SNP markers of the DNA of the unidentified person. Once this profile is created and uploaded to the approved DNA databases (GEDMatch, FamilyTree DNA, and DNA Justice), investigative genetic genealogists can then reverse engineer family trees that will eventually determine a candidate.
Moxxy determined the likely ancestry and familial ties of John Doe by analyzing his case, which was uploaded to the public database GEDmatch.
Through extensive research on DNA matches associated with John Doe’s kit, they identified shared ancestral locations among many of the matches, tracing them back to South Carolina—specifically, Georgetown County.
These researchers have also identified several surnames that may be linked to the victim, including Harris, Ray, Rodgers, and Dukes.
How can people with the surnames Harris, Ray, Rodgers, or Dukes help in identifying the individual?
If anyone has the surnames of interest, individuals can take a consumer DNA test and then upload their raw DNA data profile to GEDMatch.
You can also contact Kaycee Connelly directly at [email protected], and share your family tree in order to determine if a connection to the individual can be deciphered.
How can the public assist?
For individuals who do not have a surname of interest, but still are interested in helping, they can like and follow Moxxy on all social media platforms. Updates and information will be posted regarding this case, and posts can be shareable with others.
“The more awareness that this case receives, the higher the likelihood that this case can be resolved. If people know of someone who shares a surname of interest, they can also direct these individuals to our organization.”
Police encourage anyone with information about this subject – including his identity and/or cause of death – to contact the WPD Cold Case Unit by calling Investigator Steven Rizzo at (302) 576-3937 or Detective Devon Jones at (302) 576-3631.
Claudia is a Philadelphia-based journalist and reporter passionate about storytelling that informs and engages the community. Claudia, a proud Temple University graduate, has built a career covering impactful stories and creating compelling content across digital and print media platforms. With a strong background in writing, editing, and research, Claudia has worked on various topics, from local news to in-depth features, always striving to deliver meaningful and accurate reporting.
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