Richland coroner releases forensic reconstruction of unidentified body, asks for help in ID

The Richland County Coroner’s Office has released a forensic rendering of an unidentified man whose body was discovered near South Beltline Boulevard. They are asking for the public’s help in identifying the individual, who was believed to be a homeless man in his 60s.

“We’d like to bring him home to his family,” said Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford. “The right person has to see it for success to happen.”

The man is believed to have been an approximately 5-foot-6-inch white male, at least 50 years old and most likely over 60, according to the coroner’s office.

Forensic anthropologists involved in the reconstruction found that the unidentified male had no teeth and healed “facial trauma” and “rib fractures.” These were determined to be old injuries that are not believed to have contributed to the cause of death, which is still undetermined.

The individual was discovered on Dec. 28, 2020, by a property owner clearing underbrush in a wooded area near 750 South Beltline Blvd. The skeletal remains were “scattered” in the floodplain of Gill’s Creek, according to Rutherford.

The coroner’s office determined that he had likely been dead for three to six months based on the remaining soft tissue on his body, said forensic anthropologist Dr. Madeline Atwell.

The facial reconstruction was performed using the “Combination Method.” CT scans are used to help create a likeness from evidence including tissue thickness, “certain landmarks of the skull,” and facial and muscle anatomy. The coroner’s office generated the reconstruction with the assistance of SLED.

“Location, circumstance, and general health” have led the coroner’s office to conclude that the man was most likely experiencing homelessness said forensic anthropologist Dr. William Stevens.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Richland County Coroner’s Office at 803-576-1799.

Richland County’s Unidentified Bodies

The Richland County Coroner’s Office remains the home of 18 unidentified, unclaimed bodies, said Rutherford.

Nine of those bodies were found in Richland County. The other cases come from surrounding counties. Richland County has had just two successful cases in the past two decades where the image led to the individual being identified.

The profiles of unidentified deceased individuals are uploaded to NAMUS.gov, a “national website for missing persons and unidentified human remains,” according the coroner’s office.

The coroner’s office announced that it is also planning to hold an event to draw attention to these cases and reach members of the public who might recognize an unidentified individual. The event will likely be held around Feb. 3 to coincide with “Missing and Unidentified Persons Day,” said Rutherford.