Unidentified AND MISSING

Dedicated to bringing awareness to unidentified people

Tag: February 2025

  • Ajo John Doe (February 2025)

    Stock image of the kind of shoes found (white “U.S. Polo Assn.” size US Mens 8)
    Arizona OpenGIS Initiative for Deceased Migrants Screenshot of coordinates (32.316303, -113.130572) and case information (ML 25-0640)

    Ajo John Doe (February 2025)

    • DATE OF DISCOVERY1: February 12th, 2025
    • LOCATION OF DISCOVERY2: Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, 85321, USA (32°18’58.7”N 113°07’50.1”W (32.316303, -113.130572))
    • ESTIMATED YEAR OF DEATH: 2010 – 2023
    • POSTMORTEM INTERVAL: Approximately 2 – 15 years
    • CONDITION OF REMAINS: Not recognizable – Partial skeletal parts only
    • CAUSE OF DEATH: Not stated/Unknown
    • SEX: Male
    • ESTIMATED AGE GROUP: Adult – Pre 60
    • RACE: Uncertain
    • WEIGHT: Cannot estimate
    • HEIGHT: Cannot estimate
    • EYE COLOUR: Unknown
    • HAIR: Unknown
    • DISTINGUISHING MARKS/FEATURES:  
      • Missing first molars on right and left side of lower jaw

    BACKGROUND

    On February 12th, 2025, partial skeletal remains were found in the remote desert West of Ajo, Arizona.

    NamUs states “Skeletal elements were discovered in a remote desert location by private citizens (USBP)”

    Authorities believe that the remains had been at that location for 2 to 15 years prior to discovery.

    The victim is believed to be an adult (pre 60 years old) Hispanic male. Due to the condition of his remains, his race, weight, height, eye colour, and hair colour could not be determined. He was missing the first molars on the right and left side of his lower jaw.

    Nearby, a red collared sweater with snap buttons “to be worn down or snapped up as a turtleneck”, white tennis shoes/sneakers, and a gray blanket with stripes were found.

    (*I will be doing a lot of cases of Doe’s who likely passed when crossing the Mexico-United States border. A lot of these cases have very little information provided.*)

    CLOTHING/ITEMS – Near the body, the following was noted

    • Red collared sweater with snap buttons “to be worn down or snapped up as a turtleneck” (Brand “Banana Republic”; size “Large”)
    • White tennis shoes/sneakers (Brand “U.S. Polo Assn.”; size “US Mens 8”)
    • Gray blanket with stripes

    NOTES – Things to note or discrepancies found during research

    • 1 DATE OF DISCOVERY – NamUs notes the date of discovery as February 12th, 2025, while the Arizona OpenGIS Initiative for Deceased Migrants map notes the reporting date as February 8th, 2025.
    • 2 LOCATION OF DISCOVERY – NamUs notes the Location as “W of Ajo”. I just wanted to note this.

    IDENTIFIERS – I could not find any information regarding identifiers

    • Dentals: Unknown
    • Fingerprints: Unknown
    • DNA: Unknown

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY & OTHER CASE INFORMATION

    AGENCY ONE

    • Agency Name: Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office
    • Agency Phone Number: 520-724-8600
    • Agency Case Number: 25-0640

    AGENCY TWO

    • Agency Name: Pima County Sheriff’s Department
    • Agency Phone Number: 520-351-4600
    • Agency Case Number: 250212239

    OTHER INFORMATION/CASE NUMBERS

    • NamUs Case Number: #UP148666

    REFERENCES

  • Chicago John Doe/”Joseph Samuel” (February 2025)

    Stock image of the same shoes found with the victim, in the same colourway

    Chicago John Doe/”Joseph Samuel” (February 2025)

    • DATE OF DISCOVERY: February 20th, 2025
    • LOCATION OF DISCOVERY: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, 60619, USA (41°45’05.4″N 87°36’45.5″W (41.75150384, -87.61262525))
    • ESTIMATED YEAR OF DEATH: Not stated
    • POSTMORTEM INTERVAL1: Not stated
    • CONDITION OF REMAINS: Not recognizable – Decomposition/putrefaction
    • CAUSE OF DEATH: Asphyxiation (hanging)
    • MANNER OF DEATH: Suicide
    • SEX: Male
    • ESTIMATED AGE GROUP/RANGE: NamUs notes an age group of “Adult – Pre 30”, Cook County ME states an age range of “21 – 30 years old”
    • RACE: African American
    • WEIGHT (ESTIMATED): 135 pounds (61.235 kg)
    • HEIGHT (ESTIMATED): 6’0” (72 inches; 182.88 cm)
    • EYE COLOUR: Unknown
    • HAIR: NamUs states “bald, shaved head”, Cook County ME states “short stubble”. (possibly black due to facial hair)
    • DISTINGUISHING MARKS/FEATURES:
      • Small black moustache and beard

    BACKGROUND

    On February 20th, 2025, a maintenance employee of a building located at 7856 South Eberhart Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, entered unit #312 “…for potential repairs” when they discovered a deceased individual. The unit was reportedly abandoned, though it is not stated how long for.

    At approximately 4:14 p.m., Chicago Police contacted the “Forensic Institute” (assuming this means the Robert J. Stein Institute of Forensic Medicine) to report the death of an unidentified individual.

    The victim had committed suicide by hanging.

    The victim is described as an African American male aged between 21 to 30 years old. He weighed approximately 135 pounds and stood at approximately 6’0” in height. He had a shaved head with potential short stubble, possibly black in colour. He also had a small black moustache and beard.

    The man was found wearing a gray and red striped long-sleeve hooded shirt, camel-coloured denim pants, blue high-top sneakers, black socks, and a light blue head scarf (noted as “durag” on NamUs but “head scarf” by the Medical Examiner)

    The Medical Examiner noted a potential name of “Joashua Samuel” for this Doe. I am not sure how this was determined. Sadly, there is not much information on this Doe.

    The photo included is a stock image of the same shoes found with the victim, in the same colourway.

    CLOTHING/ITEMS – On the body, the following was noted

    • Gray and red striped long-sleeve hooded shirt (Brand “ON THE BYAS”; size “Small”)
    • Camel-coloured denim pants (Brand “Bullhead Dillon”; size “30/30”)
    • Two blue high-top sneakers (Brand “Fila”; style/type “A-High Fade”; size “8.5”)
    • Two black socks (No brand or size noted)
    • Light blue head scarf/durag

    NOTES – Things of note or discrepancies found during research

    • 1 POSTMORTEM INTERVAL – Cook County Medical Examiner notes the Date of Incident as “02/20/2025 04:18:00 PM” and his Date of Death as “02/20/2025 03:55:00 PM” which is an approximate PMI of 23 minutes, but NamUs notes that he was not recognizable due to decomposition/putrefaction. NamUs also notes the time as 4:14 p.m. rather than 4:18 p.m.

    IDENTIFIERS – I could not find any information regarding identifiers

    • Dentals: Unknown
    • Fingerprints: Unknown
    • DNA: Unknown

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY & OTHER CASE INFORMATION

    AGENCY ONE

    • Agency Name: Chicago Police Department – 2nd District
    • Agency Phone Number: 312-747-8366
    • Agency Case Number: JJ 155910

    AGENCY TWO

    • Agency Name: Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office / Robert J. Stein Institute of Forensic Medicine
    • Agency Contact Person: Ponni Arunkumar, M.D. (Chief Medical Examiner)
    • Agency Phone Number: 312-666-0500
    • Agency Email: MEO.unknowns@cookcountyil.gov / medical.examiner@cookcountyil.gov
    • Agency Case Number: ME2025-01142

    OTHER INFORMATION/CASE NUMBERS

    • NamUs Case Number: #UP143615

    REFERENCES