Butler County Coroner identifies human remains found in 1997

A decades old mystery is finally solved.

The Butler County Coroner's office used DNA and genealogy to identify human remains found in 1997.

The technology is being used by coroners across the country.

A DECADES-OLD MYSTERY ISFINALLY SOLVED.

THE BUTLERCOUNTY CORONER'S OFFICEANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT HASIDENTIFIED THE REMAINS OF AMAN FOUND 23 YEARS AGO.THE WCPO 9 I-TEAM BROKE THESTORY THIS MORNING.CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERCRAIG CHEATHAM LOOKS AT HOWDNA AND GENEALOGY ARERESPONSIBLE FOR SOLVING THISCASE AND OTHERS LIKE IT.Members of the HamiltonBoat Club found thedecomposing body of anunidentified man in 1997floating face-down on theGreat Miami River in FairfieldTownship.

An autopsyby the Butler County Coroner'soffice found he had fracturesthat were consistent withbeing hit by a car, butinvestigators couldn'tdetermine his manner and causeof death.Or his identity.SOMETIMES, YOUGOTNOTHING.

Butler CountyCoroner Dr. Lisa Mannix saysdespite sharing an artistreconstruction of the man'sface, photos of his clothesand jewelry in the media, theman was not identifiedTWENTY-THREE YEARS THISPERSON REMAINED UNIDENTIFIEDUNTIL WE GOT NEW TECHNOLOGY.That technology is beingused by the nonprofit DNA DoeProject, which convertssequenced DNA into files thatcan be uploaded to DNAgenealogy websites to identifyJohn and Jane Does and theirrelatives.

InDecember 2018, the coroner'soffice asked DNA Doe Projectto try to identify their JohnDoe.

The nonprofit requested anew DNA extraction, then hadthe DNA sample sequenced in alab.

In August 2019,DNA Doe Project hired anexpert to convert that datainto a smaller file thatheirvolunteer genetic genealogistsuploaded to an open source DNAgenealogy database called GEDMatch.WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY GOODMATCHES.

DNA DoeProject Media DirectorFranchesca Werden says asearch on a different site,Family Tree DNA, found DNAuploaded by a close relativeof John Doe.

The nonprofitused the two DNA samples tobuild a family tree anddetermined John Doe was a mannamed Larry Joe Porter.AT THAT POINT WE ALERTEDTHE AGENCY THAWE HAD A MATCHAND THE AGENCY BEGINS THEPROCESS OF VERIFICATION.In December 2019, ButlerCounty Coroner's Officeinvestigator William Havensbegan using that informationto find Porter's relatives,who provided their DNA tocompare with the DNA of JohnDoe.FOR US, IT IS A RAY OF HOPETHAT WE CAN GIVE TO A FAMILYTHAT POSSIBLY IS LOOKING FORCLOSURE.

Havens saysthe additional DNA testsproved their John Doe wasPorter, a man who had traveleda lot through the area, hadsome tough times and losttouch with his family.Havens says two weeks ago heshared the news with Porter'srelatives.IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL TIMEFOR NOT ONLY THEM, BUT FOR ME.The remains of 232 people inOhio, Kentucky and Indiana areunidentified, according toNamUS, a federal governmentresource center.RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN A HOLDINGPATTERN.Hamilton CountyCoroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarcosays despite public pleas ,detailed forensic analysis andDNA genealogy research,investigators haven't beenable to identify a woman foundin Avondale in2018.WE FOLLOWED WHATEVERINFORMATION THAT WE HAD ANDNOTHING PANNED OUT.

Sammarcosays the Ohio BCI is examiningthe DNA to see ifinvestigators can uncover newleads.WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLETO FIGURE OUT WHO SHE IS ANDGIVE SOME FAMILY SOME PEACE.The kind of peace finallyfound by relatives of LarryJoe Porter, who investigatorWilliam Havens says cried andtold him 'now we know.'THE DNA DOE PROJECTSAYS IT'S HELPED SOLVE MORETHAN 40 CASES SINCE 2017,INCLUDING SIX FROM OHIO.

TOLEARN MORE ABOUT THISTECHNOLOGY AND UNSOLVED CASESIN OUR AREA GO TO WCPO.COM.CRAIG CHEATHAM WCPO 9 I-TEAM.