LUCE COUNTY, Mich. – It has been 37 years since a man’s remains were found in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
On Oct. 24, 1987, an unidentified man’s remains were found by bird hunters in a heavily wooded area of McMillan Township, in Luce County, about 2/10 of a mile south of Lake Superior. The DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit that works to identify John and Jane Does using investigative genetic genealogy, is researching this case.
The Luce County John Doe is believed to have been between 20 to 35 years old. He had short hair that was reddish brown or auburn in color and a short mustache. His eye color could not be determined.
He was found with a survival knife stamped with “U.S. Ontario” it was not issued by the Army and possibly came from a catalog. He was found wearing military-style clothing including a camouflage jacket, camouflage pants, camouflage t-shirt, and a green belt. He wore green wool socks and black combat-style boots.
Investigators told 9and10News that even though the clothing was military-style, that doesn’t mean it was issued by the military. They believe that he was out hunting in the woods or doing a type of survival lesson. It’s estimated that he died four months to two years before his body was found.
Luce County John Doe had a possible scar, lump, or discoloration in his left cheek -- possibly due to an accident. The left side of his face was fractured and depressed. His left femur, the bone that runs from your hip to your knee, had a healed fracture which had been treated with a metal rod implant. The injury likely occurred when he was an adult.
Officials said he had moderate scoliosis, a spinal curvature, and may have walked with a limp.
Anyone with information about this case should contact Michigan State Police at 906-632-2217