MCALESTER, OK (KJRH) — As Pittsburg County pushes to crack old cold cases, investigators exhumed two bodies, who still haven’t been identified 24 years after they were found.
The graves are marked “John Doe” and “Jane Doe” in a rural Pittsburg County cemetery. The man and woman were found dead off the road on April 9, 1995, near Crowder Point.
Despite several tips and leads, the bodies were never identified, and were eventually buried in anonymous graves. 24 years later, Pittsburg County Sheriff Chris Morris hopes their families will finally be found.
"There’s been a family for 24 years missing their son or daughter," Sheriff Morris said, "and if it was me, I would want to know. I would want some closure.”
The bodies were exhumed Tuesday. The case is just one that Morris’s investigative unit is looking at, after he formed the unit in December 2017 hoping to solve old cases with the technology we have today.
“It could possibly go further," Morris said about possibly matching John Doe's and Jane Doe's DNA with someone in a registry. "Once we notify the family, they may have some information on why they would be in this area, who they would travel this area with, or last contacts.”
The bodies were weeks old when they were originally found, with the victims estimated to be between 18 and 23 years old. Investigators say both were killed by gunshots to the chest.
The petition for the exhumation calls for full body and dental radiographs, as well as a DNA sample.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
