Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying and determining the cause of death of a man whose body was found in Wilmington, Delaware, 46 years ago.
On April 8, 1978, police were called to a landfill on the 600 block of Terminal Avenue where they found the body of a man. The man was believed to be 17 to 25 years of age and may have been at that location for up to seven years before his body was discovered, police said.
More than four decades later, the Wilmington Police Department’s Cold Case Unit continue to work to identify the man and determine a cause of death. Investigators also determined the man had a severe pelvic deformity that would have caused him to walk with a noticeable limp on his right side and he may have used crutches or a cane.
Wilmington Police partnered with Moxxy Forensic Investigations, a group that provides genetic genealogy services to help law enforcement agencies identify unidentified people. The group believes the man likely had African American ancestral ties to South Carolina and Delaware. Moxxy also identified surnames that the man could have had, including Harris, Ray, Rodger and Dukes.
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Anyone who believes they are related to the man should contact Kaycee Connelly of Moxxy Forensic Investigations at kaycee@moxxyforensics.com or visit Moxxy’s website to learn more about how you can help.
If you have any information on the man, including a possible identity or cause of death, please contact Cold Case Investigator Steven Rizzo at 302-576-3937 or Detective Devon Jones of the Wilmington Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division at 302-576-3631.
