Sarasota County John Doe was a man who was found brutally murdered in North Port, Florida, on January 1, 1996. He is one of six victims of the Hog Trail Killings.
He is currently undergoing testing by Othram.
Case[]
The victim's skull was brought to the Brown residence by their dog on Plamedon Road in North Port. The homeowners reported that their dog had brought them bones from the area for months. Eventually, when a search was conducted by police a day later, the chest and hip bones were found half a mile from the skull's location. Additional skeletal parts were eventually found in the remote wooded area, with skin only present in the right hand and chest.
Per the forensic odontology exam conducted on the remains, it was determined that the victim was very muscular, with his skull very heavy, which at the time was taken to mean that he was likely of Scandinavian or Northern US heritage. Additionally, there is speculation that the victim may have had a drug or alcohol problem. While the cause of death could not be known, the medical examiner surmised the victim was mutilated, especially around the genitals.
Between 1993 and 1996, six transient men were tied to trees, tortured, and killed in what is known as the "Hog Trail Killings." On August 17, 1999, Daniel Conahan Jr. was convicted of killing one of the victims, Richard Allen Montgomery, and was sentenced to death. Conahan is generally believed to have committed the other five but has not been put to trial. Other victims of the Hog Trail Killings include Jerry Lombard, Bill Melaragno, and Billy Patten.
In August 2024, the FBI released the results of preliminary DNA analysis that suggested the victim was actually Native American alongside a new facial reconstruction.
Characteristics[]
- Ancestral ties to the Mattaponi Indian Tribe of Virginia.
- Brown hair.
- Mustache.
- Well-healed left nasal bone fracture.
- Very muscular.
- Teeth in poor condition; multiple cavities and no restorations evident.
Sources[]
- Crime Library
- Sarasota County John Doe at NamUs
- FBI ViCAP
- Daniel Conahan on Wikipedia
- DNASolves