UNIDENTIFIED PERSON
CASE #: 1977-27
John Baby Doe
Also Known As:
Southwest Benton County, Arkansas, USA
Status:
Open
Date of Recovery:
Date of Recovery:
Jurisdiction:
Recovery Location:
Benton County, Arkansas
Summary:
On April 16, 1977, a group of teenagers discovered the body of an unidentified newborn male, referred to as "Baby John Doe," in a wooded area in southwest Benton County, Arkansas. The remains were found approximately one mile northeast of the intersection of County Road 201 and County Road 70 (Marchant Road), near Elm Springs. A plastic bag and a placenta were recovered near the body at the crime scene. The infant was subsequently buried at the Bentonville Cemetery, and the case went cold.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Recovery:
On April 16, 1977, a group of local teenagers playing in a heavily wooded area in southwest Benton County, Arkansas, discovered the remains of an unidentified newborn male. The body was located approximately one mile northeast of the intersection of County Road 201 and County Road 70 (Marchant Road), near Elm Springs. Upon processing the crime scene, Benton County Sheriff's Office investigators recovered a plastic bag and a placenta discarded near the infant's body. The physical evidence indicated that the newborn had been abandoned immediately following birth.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
Case Reopened for DNA: The Benton County Sheriff's Office officially announces plans to exhume the infant's remains. Lt. Hunter Petray is assigned to lead the push to use modern forensic genetic genealogy to build a DNA profile and track down biological relatives.
Burial: With no leads or identification, the infant is laid to rest at the Bentonville Cemetery in Bentonville, Arkansas, where he remains for nearly five decades as a cold case.
Crime Scene Processing: The Benton County Sheriff's Office processes the scene and recovers a fresh placenta and a plastic bag discarded right next to the infant's body, indicating abandonment immediately following birth.
Discovery of the Remains: A group of local teenagers playing in a heavily wooded area in southwest Benton County (near Elm Springs/Springdale) discovers the body of an unidentified newborn male.
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