DNA Identifies Washington State John Doe After 46 Years

Human remains discovered in a shallow grave in Washington State in 1980 have been identified as belonging to Jack Ashley Brooks Jr., ending a nearly 46-year effort to establish the man's identity.

The identification was announced on November 6, 2026, by forensic DNA laboratory Othram, following an investigation involving the Skagit County Sheriff's Office and the use of advanced DNA sequencing and forensic genetic genealogy.

On October 6, 1980, investigators discovered skeletal remains near the former Hurns Shake Mill on Concrete Sauk Valley Road, close to Marblemount in eastern Skagit County.

An initial examination suggested that the unidentified man was between 40 and 55 years old and approximately 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall.

Investigators observed that he had short brown hair, receding at the temples, and no teeth, although he was believed to have worn dentures. Evidence also suggested a possible bone graft.

Despite investigative efforts, authorities could not establish his identity.

The case was subsequently entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under case number UP13290.

In August 2023, skeletal remains were submitted to Othram's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas, for advanced forensic DNA analysis.

Scientists successfully extracted DNA from the remains and used forensic-grade genome sequencing to develop a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profile.

Unlike conventional short tandem repeat profiling, which examines selected repeating DNA regions, SNP-based analysis can provide information suitable for investigating more distant genetic relationships.

Othram's forensic genetic genealogy team used the resulting profile to develop investigative leads through genetic relationship analysis and genealogical research.

Those leads were returned to law enforcement for additional investigation.

Investigators subsequently identified the remains as belonging to Jack Ashley Brooks Jr., who was born on March 10, 1939.

The laboratory work was funded through NamUs, a national program administered by the National Institute of Justice and managed under contract by RTI International.

According to Othram, this represents the 51st publicly announced identification in Washington State involving its forensic technology.

The case demonstrates how advances in DNA sequencing can help investigators establish identities even when remains have been unidentified for several decades.

However, forensic genetic genealogy does not independently establish the circumstances surrounding a person's death.

The public announcement does not specify Brooks's cause or manner of death, explain how his remains came to be buried at the location, or identify any suspect.

It also does not describe the precise final laboratory confirmation procedure used in this identification.

Those limitations are important because establishing a person's identity and determining what happened to them are separate investigative questions.

The identification gives a name to a case that remained unresolved for nearly half a century while demonstrating the potential of preserved skeletal evidence and modern genetic genealogy to assist unidentified-person investigations.