Remains were found 42 years ago in California woods, cops say. Now they’re identified
Nearly 42 years after skeletal remains were found in the California woods, they’ve been identified, deputies say.
With the help of DNA technology, the remains, found in Muir Woods National Monument in 1982, were identified as Sigvard Svensson, of San Francisco, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 25 news release.
At the time the remains were found, they were discovered near Deer Park Fire Trail in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, deputies said, adding that the man “was wearing a white collared shirt, gray socks, and a pair of size 11.5 white tennis shoes.”
Investigators determined the remains belonged to a man between the ages of 60 and 70 years old, who stood 5 feet, 8 inches tall.
Despite efforts to move the case forward, deputies said the man’s identity was a mystery, and the case grew cold.
Decades later, investigators entered the man’s case into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System in April 2018, deputies said.
However, “no matches were found,” and with no promising leads, the case again went cold.
Four years later, investigators looked to forensic genetic genealogy for answers, partnering with the California Department of Justice and Texas-based Othram Inc.
Genetic genealogy uses DNA testing coupled with “traditional genealogical methods” to create “family history profiles,” according to the Library of Congress. With genealogical DNA testing, researchers can determine if and how people are biologically related.
Investigators sent forensic evidence to Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy company, the company said in a news release.
From there, Othram said its scientists created a “comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man.”
The company’s forensic genetic genealogy team used this profile to further their research and, in turn, provide leads to investigators, deputies said.
This ultimately led investigators to the man’s potential relatives, who provided DNA samples, according to the sheriff’s office.
After comparing the DNA of the possible relatives to that of the unknown man, deputies said the body was confirmed to be Svensson, who would have been 74 in 1982. His cause of death was not shared publicly.
“Svensson immigrated to the United States in 1926, arriving in New York from Sweden, with a final destination of San Francisco,” deputies said.
This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Remains were found 42 years ago in California woods, cops say. Now they’re identified."
