Latest news with #unidentified
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Grisly discovery on Collins Street sparks urgent police probe
The discovery of a body on an iconic street in Melbourne 's CBD has sparked an urgent police investigation. Officers cordoned off Collins Street from the public about 4.15am on Saturday after the body, which is yet to be identified, was found outside an EzyMart. 'The circumstances surrounding the death of the person, who remains unidentified, are unclear,' a police spokesman said. More to come.
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Quebec's coroner database aims to identify hundreds of bodies
The Quebec coroner's office is now making some of its oldest, coldest cases public in the hopes that someone, somewhere, might recognize something. The Quebec coroner's office is now making some of its oldest, coldest cases public — in the hopes that someone, somewhere, might recognize something. In February, the office launched an online public database of unidentified bodies, containing photos and descriptions of personal items found with them: sweaters, jewelry, tattoos, scars, shoes, wallets — even fragments of tattoos or dental work. So far, more than 120 cases have been posted, which officials say is only a fraction of what's to come. 'There are a lot of unidentified deceased persons,' said Karine Spénard, who is leading the work on the cases. 'In the last 40 years, we have about 500 to 600 people we still haven't identified.' The database is part of a modernization effort launched under Quebec's current chief coroner two years ago. Along with a multi-agency working group that revisits unsolved files, the new tool is meant to directly involve the public — something officials say is critical to solving cases that might otherwise remain buried. Spénard said that even after decades, the right clue — a jacket, a scar, a pair of boots — can spark a lead. 'We've had people say, 'I think this could be my brother,' just by seeing photos,' she said. 'We're now able to go back and match bodies with medical records or DNA — but we need that first spark. The public gives us that.' One of the people watching the database closely is Suzanne Lejeune, whose sister, Louise, disappeared from LaSalle in 1990. Louise had moved from Ontario to Quebec to be near her son, who was being taken care of by her mother in Châteauguay on Montreal's South Shore. Diagnosed with schizophrenia while pregnant, she was receiving disability support and living on limited means. 'She really hoped that she would get better and eventually regain custody,' said Lejeune. 'She only cared about her son.' Louise took the bus every week to visit him — until one day, she stopped. 'She missed her December visitation and then Christmas,' she said, adding she and other family members didn't realize she was missing for years. At the time, she said she and her sisters were no longer speaking to their mother. It wasn't until 1995 that she was told Louise had been gone since 1990. Even more troubling, Lejeune later found out that her sister's disappearance hadn't been reported right away. She said it wasn't until Louise's boyfriend called police in February 1991 that a missing persons file was opened. Today, Lejeune said there are still no suspects, no evidence, and no leads. 'No body, no crime, no justice,' she said. 'I can't do anything to find out what happened to her without a body.' She described her sister as kind, shy, and vulnerable — someone who likely could have trusted the wrong person. Louise also didn't speak French. 'She was the smartest out of all of us — the sweetest and she didn't deserve whatever happened to her,' said Lejeune. If Louise's case were added to the coroner's new site, Lejeune believes she might recognize something, like the sweater she always wore. 'It was a thick, grey wool sweater with a purple collar. I would always tease her about it being ugly, but she loved it,' she said. 'It was the last thing she was seen wearing.' The database, she said, could be especially helpful for families like hers — those who missed the chance to raise the alarm early on, and are still holding out hope decades later. 'Sometimes, a visual is what clicks. Someone sees a piece of clothing and remembers,' she said. The site also includes a tip line for anyone who thinks they recognize something. Spénard said they're gradually uploading more cases, which could include files that date back as far as 1953. Since forming the cold case working group, Spénard said the coroner's office has confirmed 22 identities. Private investigator Stéphane Luce, founder of Unresolved murders and disappearances in Quebec (MDIQ), a citizen-led investigative group, called the database a 'great surprise,' and something he believes could be a game-changer if used properly. 'In the past, we would hear about a murder or a missing person, but with almost no details,' Luce said. 'Now, with those kinds of tools, we can get lots of information, especially with photos.' He added that public access is critical to progress. 'They need information from the public to be able to solve these cases,' he said. 'They need to work more closely with the public and with private investigators like us. We're all part of the same puzzle.' For Lejeune, it all comes down to one thing. 'Hope,' she said. 'A piece of clothing, a fragment of something — that's all I'm looking for.'
CBS News
17-06-2025
- CBS News
Man found dead in Golden Gate Park remains unidentified; public asked for help
A man found dead at Golden Gate Park in May remains unidentified, and the public is now being asked for help, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said on Monday. He was found unresponsive on May 12 in a Golden Gate Park public bathroom, near Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and 19th Avenue, the OCME said. First responders were called to the scene, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. He was described as being 5 feet, 9 inches, about 157 pounds, white, or possibly Hispanic, and around 30 years old. He also has multiple tattoos, including a cross on his right cheekbone. A sketch of the man was created by the San Francisco Police. A man was found unresponsive on May 12, 2025, in a Golden Gate Park bathroom. The OCME asked the public for help identifying him. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, San Francisco The cause and manner of death are still pending, the OCME said. "The OCME uses extensive investigatory methods to identify decedents, such as valid government issued identification cards on their person, fingerprint check, witness interviews, or DNA testing that lead to a valid identification. In an overwhelming majority of cases, the OCME makes a positive identification of the subject within 24 hours," the OCME said. "In this rare case, the OCME's investigatory methods have not resulted in an identification. " Anyone with information is asked to contact the OCME Investigative Division at 415-641-2220 or email or OCME@ Anyone who contacts them is asked to reference OCME Case Number 2025-0673.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Mystery of ‘Man in £100 Walking Boots' whose identity STILL unknown 18 months after dogwalker found his body on UK beach
A MYSTERY man wearing "£100 walking boots" washed ashore 18 months ago - but his identity is still unknown. A dog walker made the grim discovery on a beach near a caravan park on the Gower Peninsula in Wales in December 2023. 2 Cops have still not been able to identify the body despite trawling through DNA archives, dental records and missing person reports. The man was wearing distinctive size nine Magnus walking boots, a black leather belt and black socks. Police have been able to determine he was a white man, and stood around six feet tall. An inquest has been set for the John Doe in November this year. A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "On December 16, 2023, South Wales Police received a report of man's body having been washed up in the shore in the Gower area of Swansea, between Slade Bay and Green Meadow Leisure Park. "Since that time, officers have been unable to identify him. "The man had a black leather belt on and a pair of black socks and size nine Magnum walking boots. "There are no other distinguishing marks to assist police with the identification of this man. "South Wales Police has worked with other forces within and outside of the UK and to date there has been no matches on the DNA obtained from the body. "The body has been described as a white man, six foot in height and with a shoulder width of 20 inches. "South Wales Police are appealing for any new information in relation to the identity of this man." 2
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Man's body identified 10 YEARS after being killed in a car crash just feet from his front door
A man who was mowed down by a car only a feet from his door has finally been identified after a decade of police trying to track down his true identity. Bryan Woolis died only a stone throw from his home in Walthamstow, London, after being mowed down by a Mercedes on January 22, 2015. However, there were no records of the man, who was also previously Brian Wallace, to be found in the wake of his death. And even though the driver was handed a suspended sentence following the incident, the case stayed open due to Mr Woolis never being formally identified. In January 2024, a newspaper launched an appeal from Locate International, a charity dedicated to finding the missing and naming the unidentified, in a bid to track down Brian. And this caught the eye of none other Inspector Nik Dodsworth, who became interested in finding Mr Woollis' identity after learning of the man's possible connections to Sheffield. 'They had two good quality photos of the victim, but despite this, he had still not been identified. I found that quite sad,' the South Yorkshire Police Inspector told the BBC. Trawling through old Met Police case files, the dedicated inspector, discovered a partial DNA match, which eventually, via the Police National Computer database, unearthed the man's true identity - Bryan Alwyn Woolis. Inspector Dodsworth went a step further, and managed to find down Mr Woolis' estranged family after he discovered his father, Alwyn Woolis' obituary online. The memorial indicated Mr Woolis senior passed away in Derbyshire in 2016, and was survived by three children, including Bryan. At the time of his death, Bryan had opted for a more tranquil life, and had not seen his sister since the 2000s after she had moved away from London to care for their father, according to the Inspector. Due to going long periods of time without speaking to family, Bryan was not registered as a missing person when he tragically died in 2015. 'Despite not being close, she [his sister] experienced grief at Bryan's death,' he said: 'She had heard a rumour that Bryan had died of natural causes but could not find anything to corroborate this.' Inspector Dodsworth explained that while many might find the occurrence of dying without an identity shocking, it is more common than people may believe. Now Locate International are trying to obtain a new headstone for Mr Woolis' with the correct iteration of his name. Adamant obtaining a new headstone for Mr Woolis 'had to happen', Inspector Dodworth revealed he experienced a 'sense of satisfaction' after getting to the root of the mystery. 'I am glad that they [the family] finally have some closure on this tragic incident and can begin to rebuild,' he said.
