BUNNELL, Fla. – A new memo sent out by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community’s help in identifying the victim of a 1980 cold case murder. The unidentified man was found in skeletal condition near Bunnell, beyond the capabilities of medical examiners to produce an identity.
The mockup of the man’s face was created with the help of analysis by Othram, Inc, a genealogy firm utilized by the FCSO in the past. It was already suspected in the medical examiner’s report 43 years ago that the victim was a Black man between 20 and 27 years old, measuring 5’6″ to 5’7″ and weighing 145 to 150 pounds. His body was found in a canal on SR-11, two miles south of the Bunnell city line.
The victim’s bones were submitted to Othram in December last year, according to the FCSO’s statement. DNA processing was undergone, and it was determined the man was likely of African heritage with a smaller amount of European genes mixed in. It’s speculated that relatives of the man could live in Flagler County or nearby.
With the help of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Imaging Unit, the FCSO now has an approximate recreation of what the man may have looked like. Though the image is considered a likely approximation, it’s not considered to be exact. The FCSO also advised that not all missing persons are reported to law enforcement, and so it could be an as-of-yet unreported missing person.
“I want to thank the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Now we need the public’s help to tell us who he is. Someone knows him. Let’s give him a name so his family will know what happened.”
Those who suspect they may know who is depicted in the above recreation are asked to contact the FCSO Cold Case Unit at SScalia@FlaglerSheriff.com, TIPS@FlaglerSheriff.com, or CrimeStoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-TIPS.
