Kane County John Doe (1994)

Kane County John Doe (1994) is an unidentified male whose remains were discovered near Big Water, Kane County, Utah, in February 1994. His death, estimated to have occurred around 1992. Investigators have not been able to identify him despite several leads, and his case remains open.^{[needs update]}

On February 6, 1994, hikers discovered a human skull in a crevice about a quarter mile south of State Road 89 near the town of Big Water, Kane County, Utah. The skull, found in a remote and rugged area, had been wedged into a rock crevice. A subsequent search of the surrounding area revealed additional skeletal remains scattered by scavenging animals, along with several personal items. Investigators determined the man likely died around 1992, two years before the discovery.^[1][2]

The skull exhibited signs of blunt force trauma, suggesting the victim was killed by a blow or stomp to the head. University of Utah anthropologist John McCullough demonstrated that the right side of the man’s face had been knocked loose from the skull as a result of the impact.^[3] Blood-soaked sand was found where the body had been dumped, further suggesting the individual may have died at that location.^[4]

The unidentified man was estimated to be between 30 and 55 years old at the time of his death. He was approximately 6 feet tall, with brown hair that had a touch of grey. McCullough also noted that the man had large bones and rugged facial features. Investigators speculated that the man may have had some Native American ancestry.^[3][4] The man had extensive dental work, including a porcelain crown and a gold filling. Forensic artists later produced a facial reconstruction based on the remains to assist with identification efforts.^[3]

Several personal items were discovered near the remains, including a red baseball cap, a plaid jacket with a blue quilted liner (size XL), a red, white, and black plaid flannel shirt, blue denim trousers (size 33), and Pro Action tennis shoes (size 11 1/2). A pair of shattered sunglasses was found nearby, along with three faded documents. These documents included a jail booking sheet and a court document from Coconino County, Arizona, as well as a newspaper clipping listing entertainment events in Flagstaff, Arizona. Some articles of clothing were found to have been torn, possibly indicating a struggle or movement through rough terrain.^[1][2]

Investigators speculated that the man may have traveled from Flagstaff, Arizona, and was either killed along the way or after arriving in Kane County. Kane County Sheriff Maxwell Jackson hoped that sending the faded documents to FBI forensic experts in Washington, D.C., could yield clues to the man’s identity. Blood-soaked sand found at the scene was also sent to Oregon in an attempt to extract DNA.^[4][3] However, the documents were too faded to provide concrete leads, and efforts to identify the man through forensic reconstruction and DNA testing have been unsuccessful. It was further speculated that the man's body had been dumped under a juniper tree before being scattered by coyotes.^[3] The exact cause of death remains undetermined, though blunt force trauma is suspected. As of now, the case remains unsolved.^[4]

• Unsolved murders in Utah
• People murdered in Utah