As investigators work to identify a man who was found dead in Kentucky in 1989, genealogists say he might have ties to the Detroit area.
The DNA Doe Project (DDP) uses genetic genealogy research to identify John and Jane Does. The nonprofit started working on this cold case after investigators presented their findings to them in 2020.
Recommended Videos
“Somewhere someone has been missing their son, brother or maybe even their father for over 35 years,” said Missy Koski, team leader on the case. “We want to give him his name back and return him to his family.”
Man found fatally shot in Kentucky in 1989
On April 9, 1989, the man was found in a tobacco barn off Kentucky State Highway 22. The barn was about 7.5 miles west of Dry Ridge near Williamston, in Grant County, Kentucky, according to the DDP.
He was shot in the back of the head twice, and his hands were severed from his arms.
The man had also been stripped of all his clothing.
What forensic scientists discovered
Investigators are treating the case as a homicide.
The nonprofit says forensic scientists determined that the man was 25-35 years old, 6 feet 5 inches tall, weighed about 220 lbs., and had brown hair in a crew cut with short sideburns.
The man had died about two weeks before he was found.
Ancestors may have lived in Detroit
Investigators presented the case to the DNA Doe Project in 2020 so genealogists could try using a new type of DNA analysis to identify the man.
Genealogists uploaded the man’s profile to GEDmatch Pro and FamilyTreeDNA and analyzed the DNA relative matches.
They learned that the man was most likely from Croatia, Serbia or Romania.
It was also determined that he or his ancestors may have lived near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Detroit, Michigan, or somewhere in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky.
Additionally, the DDP said he may have been born abroad or was the child of immigrants.
More DNA data sought from public
Investigators say they need more DNA data from people with similar ancestries.
“John Doe’s closest DNA match is an approximate third cousin with recent Croatian and Serbian ancestry,” said Koski. “We need more people who have ancestry from these countries and Eastern Europe to take DNA tests and upload those tests to GEDmatch.com and FamilyTreeDNA.com to help us build his family tree.”
The nonprofit wants to connect with people whose family tree includes the following surnames:
- Vignovich
- Bogojevic
- Nydich
- Stanovich
- Stoyadinovich
- Ljubesavljevic
- Damovich
You can contact the DNA Doe Project at case-tips@dnadoeproject.org.
Anyone with information about this John Doe is also asked to contact Kentucky State Police.