Doe Network

1299UMPA - Unidentified Male


Reconstruction of the decedent.

Date of Discovery: January 17, 1977
Location of Discovery: Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Estimated Date of Death: 1977
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Suicide by drug overdose

Physical Description

Estimated Age: 25-40 years old
Race: White
Sex: Male
Height: 5'10" to 5'11"
Weight: 155 lbs.
Hair: Reddish-brown. Long and curly. Wore a full beard.
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: T-shaped scar on chin.

Identifiers

Dentals: Available.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Pending.

Clothing & Personal Items

Clothing: Dark brown suede/buckskin jacket with tassels on the sleeves and torso (size 38); faded blue jeans (Wrangler brand, size 30x34); brown leather belt; brown, knit turtleneck sweater (labeled Jules Pilch-Doylestown/Hatboro, size "M"); long winter undershirt and pants (size "S"), military issue with laundry mark B-0654; two pair of socks (one pair black, the other wool); brown leather hiking boots, ankle length with black Vibran soles (size 10-10 1/2); leather gloves.
Jewelry: 14K white gold ring with an oval blue stone and a pair of sunglasses.
Additional Personal Items: Pockets contained a comb, pen, pencil, matches and $1.78. Potential hiking equipment he may have used had poissibly been obscured by snow.

Circumstances of Discovery

The frozen body of the decedent was found by two hikers in a cave below an area called The Pinnacle along the Appalachian Trail, in Albany Township, Kempton, Pennsylvania on January 16, 1977.

The cave where he was found is only accessible by foot.

There is little documentation available for this unidentified man. Any photos, autopsy reports, possible fingerprints have been lost. He was buried in the Berks County Potter's Field.

The burial location remained unknown for decades, until his remains were located and exhumed in August 2019 to extract DNA. His dental information reportedly matched two individuals missing from Florida and Illinois.

Investigating Agency(s)

Agency Name: Berks County Coroner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Joel Bonilla or Terri Straka
Agency Phone Number: 610-478-3280
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: A-10-77

NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 5661

Information Source(s)

NamUs
Pennsylvania Missing (archived)
Reading Eagle
Crime Watch

Admin Notes

Added: 7/31/09; Last Updated: 10/11/19


Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team

** Listed information may be estimated.

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