Reasons why the Grateful Doe case may have gotten off to a bad start:
Many news agencies and some law enforcement officials reported him as
being a natural redhead. I have spoken with someone who has seen his
autopsy photos. They said that in the pictures he appears to be a
natural redhead. This caused some who glance
d
at the file to continue saying he was a redhead many years after the
accident occurred, even after it was already known that his hair was
dyed.
The new computer restoration looks nothing like the old
one. Our Doe was not recognizable after the accident. The 95'
restoration is a drawing based on someone's guess of what he may have
looked like. The new restoration was made using the latest technology
available. Computers start with the skull itself, and based on
measurements, add flesh until a person is looking back. It is still an
estimate of what he looked like, and should not be used in the same way
as a photograph. However, it is probably safe to say that he looked more
like the new restoration than the older one.
The age estimate
is likely off. Grateful Doe is estimated to be 16 to 21 years old.
However his dentals suggest he was older than that. Wisdom teeth, or
third molars, start to come in at age 16 and older. Grateful Doe had all
four wisdom teeth fully erupted. It is unusual for anyone to have all
four wisdom teeth fully erupted, but it would be especially unlikely for
a teenager. For this reason, I think 20-25 years old is probably a more
accurate estimate. It is not unusual for the age estimates on
unidentified people to be off a bit.
He probably wasn't from
Virginia. This story made pretty big news in Virginia in 1995. Most
everyone in the area has heard the story, and that is where many people
started their search. But Grateful Doe was hitch hiking across several
states. Virginia was just along his route, and most likely he was from
someplace else entirely. This story has not made big news nationwide, so
people missing this young man may have never even heard of this case.
It is these same things that make me believe that identifying him today
is very possible even though it hasn't happened as of now. This is a
solvable case. In fact, that he may never be identified is something my
brain just can't wrap around.
*Please note that these are my
thoughts and opinions based on many months of research. In no way am I
saying that any of the above is fact. Also in no way am I implying that
law enforcement did not do a good job with this case. On the contrary, I
think they have done an excellent job, and their continued dedication
to this case is to be admired.
Thank you for following this page. It means a lot me, personally.
