• Home
  • Top Case
  • Unidentified Persons
  • Missing Persons
  • Resources
  • News
  • Veteran Resources
  • Contact
Veteran Doe

Unidentified Persons

Unidentified Person Bluefield / Missing Person Chicago 1972

1/24/2018

0 Comments

 
Unidentified missing Person West Virginia Chicago Illinois
17 to 21 year old White Male

Date found July 23, 1972 

Circumstances:
The unidentified was hitch-hiking when he was struck by a car that went out of control near the Fair Deal Market on US 19-21. A motorist who had given the hitch-hiker a ride just before his death told police the man told him he was en route to Bluefield Virginia, or Bluefield West Virginia, where he was born to get a birth certificate so he could join the Army. He also told, the motorist he was raised in Chicago, IL., but his parents were dead. He never divulged his name.

​​https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/17375
There is some decent information in the video. Specifically that he was wearing black jungle boots with the name John Durfee stenciled in them (see article below video) and that he was born in ​Bluefield West Virginia. 
According to another article John Durfee was located and said he sold the boots to a Chicago pawn shop. 

Identity of man killed by a drunk driver still unknown after almost half a century

By GREG JORDAN Bluefield Daily Telegraph Feb 5, 2018

GHENT — Almost 50 years ago, a young pedestrian hiking along the U.S. 19-21 bypass near Beckley was killed when a drunk driver struck him, but today he remains unidentified. Aside from old newspaper stories, the only reminder of his existence is a gravestone in a Flat Top cemetery.

The memorial at the Tom Lilly Cemetery near Flat Top bears the words “Known Only to God,” “Unknown Male” along with the date of his death – July 23, 1972 –  and his probable age, which was between 19 and 21 years old. Today people are still attempting to identify this young man and bring closure to his family, Vernon L. Simmons, a retired Norfolk Police Department captain said.

The accident which claimed the life of “John Doe” occurred on the U.S. 19-21 bypass near Beckley, according to Daily Telegraph reports from that year. Before the pedestrian accident, the man had caught a ride with a passing motorist who later told the West Virginia State Police about how the man said that he was returning to the Bluefield area from Chicago, and that the reason behind his trip was to obtain a birth certificate. According to this witness, the man walked about a half a mile before he was hit by another driver and killed instantly.

In 1972, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph published stories that offer details about this unknown man. The West Virginia State Police described him as a white American male, believed to be between 18 and 20 years old. He was 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed between 160 and 165 pounds. His hair was described as “reddish brown,” Simmons said. His only distinguishing feature was a laceration on his left foot which was described as being similar to a glass cut: it was healed and showed no sign of sutures. The young man’s photograph was once available, but finding it after almost 50 years would be difficult.

Back in August 1972, investigators said the man’s clothes didn’t have any identification except for a pair of jungle boots with the name “John Durfee” stenciled on them. John Durfee was later located; he had sold the boots to a Chicago pawn shop. Simmons said his research has indicated that the unknown man could have been a runaway youth from the Chicago area.

People who believe that they could have information relating to the case can contact Simmons at 757-436-0219 or verns1936@verizon.net.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com​

https://www.bdtonline.com/news/identity-of-man-killed-by-a-drunk-driver-still-unknown/article_49f3fe4a-0a26-11e8-836e-4348255d0539.html
Unidentified missing Person West Virginia Chicago Illinois
Unidentified missing Person West Virginia Chicago Illinois
Unidentified missing Person West Virginia Chicago Illinois
Unidentified missing Person West Virginia Chicago Illinois
Unidentified missing Person West Virginia Chicago Illinois
0 Comments

Unidentified Person Virginia

9/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Unidentified Missing Person Virginia 1987
20 to 40 year old White Male

Discovered May 27, 1987 Rockbridge County, Virginia  

Glasses were similar to the type issued by the Veterans Administration to Vets. The glasses are for a near sighted person. 

He wore a
 shirt with a specialist 4 rank (US Army) insignia on the sleeve. 

Head Hair Description: Remnants of brown hair

Estimated Age Range (Years): 20-40
Estimated Year of Death: 1987
Height: 5' 4"(64 inches) , Estimated
Weight: 150 lbs, Estimated

​​​https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/6248​
Blue jeans with brown belt: belt contains flaking white paint and has a square belt buckle with a Longhorn Steer.
Unidentified Missing Person Virginia 1987
Unidentified Missing Person Virginia 1987
Unidentified Missing Person Virginia 1987
Unidentified Missing Person Virginia 1987
Unidentified Missing Person Virginia 1987
Unidentified Missing Person Virginia 1987
Unidentified Missing Person Texas Virginia 1987
Unidentified Missing Person Texas Virginia 1987
Information from ​http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/149umva.html
​On May 27, 1987, highway workers discovered a partially decomposed body along the southbound shoulder of I-81 South, Mile Post 183. The victim died as a result of a gunshot wound to the right side of the head and right side of the body. Handwritten notes in the victims pocket referred to a truck and trailer number and the trucking firm of J.B. Hunt Trucking Company out of Lowell, Arkansas. A check of this company revealed that John Swartz was operating a tractor-trailer through Virginia at this time.

John Swartz, who was convicted in this homicide, left Little Rock, Arkansas on May 16, 1987 with a load of toys to be delivered to Edison, New Jersey. Along the way he picked up "Chris" at the Petro Truck stop in Wytheville, Virginia, four to five hours away from this destination. At the truck stop, Chris told John he had been stuck at the truck stop for two days without food. Chris stated he was trying to get to an uncertain location to go camping. John made an offer to pay Chris for unloading his truck. They arrived in New Jersey on the 18th of May and he paid Chris fifty dollars for unload help. Chris bought food and a small folding knife with this money. An argument ensued over money with Chris demanding $100 and several of Swartz's personal items in the truck. Chris threatened to turn in John for having an unauthorized rider, and at some point put John's name and truck company in his pocket. The next day they got another load, and started back toward Arkansas. While at a truck stop in Raphine, Virginia, Swartz said that Chris pulled out his knife, and made threats of harm if he did not get more money or Swartz's personal items. Around 4.00 a.m., several miles down Interstate 81, Swartz pulled over to the shoulder, and told Chris that he had to relieve himself. Chris got out and at this time, was shot and killed. The next morning Swartz discarded Chris' possessions and continued on to Arkansas. Swartz died in prison.

The accuracy of the sketch is unknown; it was compiled with the aide of the killer. The victim was gathering camping supplies for a hike on a trail (believed to be the Appalachian Trail). Victim misspelled simple words.
0 Comments

Unidentified Person Virginia Navy

9/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Unidentified Person Virginia Navy
​18 to 25 year old Black/African American Male

Found on June 10, 1981 Norfolk, Virginia

U.S. Navy sailor working on USS Mt Whitney spotted a body of a black male floating in the river near pier 25, at NOB in Norfolk, Virginia.

https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/6626
0 Comments

    Unidentified Persons

    Veteran Doe Unidentified Missing Persons Missing Veterans
    John Doe and Jane Doe cases in the USA with possible connections to the US military. 

    Archives

    March 2022
    March 2021
    February 2020
    November 2019
    July 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017

    Categories

    All
    1936
    1953
    1969
    1972
    1973
    1975
    1977
    1978
    1981
    1982
    1984
    1985
    1986
    1987
    1988
    1989
    1991
    1992
    1993
    1995
    1996
    1997
    1999
    2000
    2001
    2002
    2003
    2006
    2008
    2009
    2010
    2011
    2012
    2015
    2016
    2018
    2020
    2021
    Alaska
    April
    Arizona
    August
    California
    December
    February
    Florida
    Hawaii
    Illinois
    Indiana
    January
    July
    June
    Kansas
    March
    Maryland
    Massachusetts
    May
    Michigan
    Mississippi
    Nevada
    New Jersey
    New York
    North Carolina
    November
    October
    Ohio
    Oklahoma
    Oregon
    Pennsylvania
    Puerto Rico
    September
    Tennessee
    Texas
    Virginia
    Washington
    West Virginia

    RSS Feed

​Share This Page! You may be the key to bringing someone home!


Follow Veteran Doe's social media

Site Menu
Home | Top Case | Unidentified Persons | Missing Persons | Resources | News | Veteran Resources | Contact 
All the case information and photos belong to the proper reporting authorities.​ Unique content is ​Copyright © 2023 VeteranDoe.com
  • Home
  • Top Case
  • Unidentified Persons
  • Missing Persons
  • Resources
  • News
  • Veteran Resources
  • Contact