KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Another cold case has been solved with the help of advanced genetic testing, according to the office of Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. The Knoxville Police Department found human remains in a wooded area behind a house on Knott Avenue in September 2022.
An autopsy report from the Knox County Regional Forensic Center revealed that no foul play was involved in the death but no one could identify the victim.
"These are not just skeletal remains, and this isn't just a number on a spreadsheet," said Chris Thomas from the forensic center. "The last time this person had a conversation with anyone was about three to four weeks prior to his death."
The forensic center used radiographs and dental ex-rays from missing individuals in the area but could not find results.
"The body was not identifiable by any visual means," said Thomas.
Working with Texas-based Othram Inc., a leader in forensic genetic genealogical (FGG) research, officials identified the victim as 34-year-old Tony A. Brown Jr. in March, according to officials.
FGG research uses a variety of techniques including tapping into ancestry registries and using investigators to look into genealogical backgrounds.
“No one is forgotten or neglected at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center,” said Thomas. “We work diligently every day to try to identify every decedent and connect them with their next of kin, regardless of how long they’ve been here.”
The Knox County Regional Forensic Center, along with local law enforcement, has helped identify dozens of cold case victims during the past couple of years through advanced identification methods, such as dental, radiograph and DNA.
In addition, officials each year identify hundreds of decedents from mostly non-crime-related deaths.