Little is known about the dead man whose body was found near a refinery in Cheyenne nearly a year ago, but new technology has brought authorities one step closer to identifying him.
With the release of new 3D images from a forensic artist, however, there is now another piece of evidence to help reveal his identity, and Laramie County Coroner Rebecca Reid is appealing to the public for help in solving the mystery.
The man’s badly decomposed remains were discovered in the 2700 block of East 5th Street in Cheyenne on Nov. 14, 2023, Reid said.
He was found fully clothed and wearing a brown T-shirt and insulated camo pants with black tactical boots.
It’s determined he was between 40 and 60 years old, and despite the questionable circumstances in which he was found, no foul play is suspected in his death, Reid told Cowboy State Daily.
“There is no foul play or anything suspicious about this case. The deceased’s cause of death is undetermined, along with manner of death,” she wrote in an email. “We have ruled out anything suspicious.”
No DNA Match
Despite having the man’s DNA, there have been no hits to help ID him, Reid said.
His DNA has been entered into the National DNA Index System of CODIS, the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, as well as into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
This means it’s unlikely that he is one of the roughly 97 missing people now listed on the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation’s missing person database, dating from now to April 1974.
“We had ran his DNA in the national data base, so that means his DNA is not in the system so that tells me he is not listed as missing person,” she said.
They also took his dental prints with no luck, Reid said, because they didn’t have anything to which to compare them.
Reid further said that they have no plans to use forensic genetic genealogy, a technique that uses DNA profiles that have been voluntarily uploaded into genealogical databases like GEDmatch in combination with traditional genealogy research to help isolate distant relatives using family trees.
She didn’t elaborate on why they will not do any genealogy testing, only to say they have leads that they are currently following.
“At this time that is all I have and willing to release,” Reid said.
She’s hoping the public can help their efforts in tracking down family members or friends who might know who this man was.
The John Doe is thought to have been around 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighed about 138 pounds with dark hair mixed with gray.
Anyone with information in helping to identify the decedent is asked to call Reid at 307-637-8000.
The clothing on the badly decomposed remains of a man found in Cheyenne in November 2023. (Courtesy Laramie County Coroner's Office) 
The clothing on the badly decomposed remains of a man found in Cheyenne in November 2023. (Courtesy Laramie County Coroner's Office)
Other Unidentified Remains
This John Doe is one of nine unidentified deceased people listed on the NamUs website between 1977 to November 2023.
Others include a skull found by a hunter near Wamsutter in November 2023, which has not yet been identified.
More human remains were found last month by construction workers on private land south of Cheyenne, which has not yet been entered into the NamUs database.
The database also lists the names of eight identified people who died in Wyoming but have yet to be claimed by loved ones. Of the eight, seven hailed from Riverton with one from Dubois.
Jen Kocher can be reached at jen@cowboystatedaily.com.
