The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office released an update on the investigation of a ‘badly decomposed body’ that was found near the South Platte River earlier this year on April 20th. The sheriff’s office says the body was found approximately a half mile west of U.S. Highway 83 near the South Platte River channel.
Investigators have more to investigate but the autopsy results have determined important information which helps identify the body.
Officials determined that the body was that of a 43-55-year-old, male who has Caucasoid roots, a strong possibility the man was Caucasian. The believed-to-be man was determined to be around 5’4” to 5’6” tall and probably had an open heart surgery operation as well as ‘extensive dental work.’
The examined dental work is explained in the news release via the LCSO,
Forensic Odontologists examined the teeth of the male subject and found he had very high quality and very expensive dental work. There were gold filling, porcelain fillings, root canals and a “Flipper”, a fake tooth attached to an upper retainer. Forensic Odontologists advised there is evidence on the teeth that they had been brushed a lot and the deceased person had a very high dental I.Q. The individual’s dental records are now entered into the national data base.
At no cost to the LCSO, select bones from the subject were sent to Texas to have a DNA profile obtained, the examination of the bones are still in progress.
Investigators also sent select bones from the deceased person to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification. They hoped to obtain a DNA profile from the subject. University of North Texas does these tests for no cost to law enforcement.
The Skull was sent to Fort Lauderdale in Florida, where roject EDAN, a team of forensic artists help law enforcement identify the unidentified dead.
Project EDAN consists of 23 experienced, certified Forensic Artists who volunteer their time and talent to assist law enforcement, medical examiners and coroners with the investigation of unidentified decedents.
Thanks to Project EDAN, the investigation now includes these composite sketches and clay reconstructions of the subject. See below what they’ve come up with.
From the LCSO…
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office hopes the photographs may help identify this subject. Anyone with information may contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (308) 535-9599. Investigation Continues.
First Press Release From The LCSO:
On April 20th, 2012 at 3:42 pm, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a badly decomposed body found near the South Platte River on private property. The approximate area of the body was half mile west of U.S. Highway 83 near the South Platte River channel.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Investigators responded to the location and secured it. Investigators found and confirmed human skeletal remains. The sex, age and race of the subject is unknown at the time. There wasn’t any identification located on or near the body.
Sheriff’s Office Investigators searched the area and collected evidence for several hours. The remains were removed from the location and placed in evidence. Forensic examination of the remains is to follow, in the days to come. The cause of death at this time is unknown; Sheriff Office Investigators hope Forensic testing may help determine how the subject died. The case is an open Death Investigation; further information will be released as the case progresses.