WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – Police have identified skeletal remains that were found in Plymouth Township 28 years ago.
In May 1997, a man interested in buying property was conducting a survey at a field off Haggerty Road when he came across a piece of rolled-up carpet. Human skeletal remains were found in it, along with several articles of clothing and jewelry.
Recommended Videos
When authorities arrived at the scene, they determined that the carpet and remains had been there for multiple years prior to the discovery.
Investigators determined that the remains belonged to a man that was about 5′8″ tall. His weight was unknown, but based on the size of the shorts found on the body, authorities believe he was slim.
It was also determined that the man likely died from a head injury, and investigators ruled his death a homicide.
Over the years, investigators worked to identify the man, including looking into the origin of the gold class ring found on the man’s body, testing on the clothing and ballistics testing of a .357 slug found with the remains.
Traditional DNA testing was conducted in 2015, but there was no match to a known person. For decades, investigators worked to identify the man, including asking the public for any information that could be helpful.
In 2022, forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas, where DNA was extracted from the skeletal evidence.
An ultra-sensitive, comprehensive DNA profile was developed, and Othram scientists discovered that the unknown man was of African descent, not Caucasian.
The DNA profile was submitted for forensic matching, which allowed Othram’s in-house forensic genealogy team to find new leads regarding the man’s identity.
The leads were provided to police, who then conducted a follow-up investigation to search for a possible relative of the man.
The potential relative’s DNA was compared to the DNA profile developed for the unknown man. Investigators identified the man as Benjamin Harrison Fountain, who was born on May 6, 1926.
Fountain was born in Virginia and later lived in West Virginia before moving to Detroit. He was drafted to serve in World War II.
Police said if he was found alive when his body was found, Fountain would have been in his 70s.
He was laid to rest, with his name, on May 16, 2025, at Our Lady of Hope Cemetery in Brownstown.
The investigation into Fountain’s death continues.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Plymouth Township Police at (734) 354-3250.
