John Doe Death; – A homicide victim, whose skeletal remains were discovered along a river in Northern California, has recently been identified through advancements in DNA testing technology.
The DNA of the 21-year-old man had been preserved by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office for twenty years as investigators worked to ascertain his identity.
In October 2012, a local resident noticed shoes protruding from the sand along the banks of the Eel River in Piercy, California, approximately 170 miles from San Francisco, as reported by DNA Solves. Upon pulling the shoes, the resident uncovered a skeleton concealed in a shallow grave, although the skull was missing, according to DNA Solves.
“Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, and the individual became known as ‘Skeleton in Sneakers,’” stated DNA Solves. “The clothing recovered indicated styles from the 1980s. The death of John Doe was classified as a homicide.”
Earlier this year, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office forwarded forensic evidence to Othram, a cold case forensic laboratory in Texas, to explore whether advanced DNA testing could assist in identifying the victim. Scientists at Othram successfully developed a DNA extract and conducted genealogical research on the victim.
Investigators then interviewed potential relatives and compared their DNA with that of the “Skeleton in Sneakers.” Ultimately, the victim was identified as Warren David Hawkins, born in 1965, according to DNA Solves.
In July 1986, when Hawkins was 21 years old, his mother left him at a bus station. His sister later reported him missing to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office in Washington, as noted by DNA Solves. Hawkins has not been seen or heard from since.
