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San Diego John Doe was a male murder victim whose burned body was discovered in a dumpster in 1981.
Case
At around 5 a.m. on September 28, 1981, police were called to the Big Bear Supermarket to investigate the source of smoke coming from behind the business. After the arrival of law enforcement and firefighters, it was discovered that a dumpster was on fire. Upon extinguishing the fire, the burned remains of a male were discovered. Authorities determined that the male's body had been placed in the trash receptacle and that the fire had been intentionally started with gasoline, most likely to destroy evidence. The victim's exact cause of death is either unknown or unreleased, but several sources confirm that the manner of death was homicide.
Law enforcement evidently spent several decades attempting (and failing) to identify the decedent. In 2020, local law enforcement worked with NCMEC to create likenesses of what the murder victim may have looked like while alive. The remains were stated to be burned beyond recognition, which could raise questions about the accuracy of the reconstructions.
Initially, it was believed that the victim was a teenager (between 15 and 20 years old) when he was killed, but in late 2020, re-examination of his dentals indicated that he was probably significantly older than that, perhaps as old as 40. One source gives a more specific estimate of "33 years old, give or take five years".
No descriptions of personal effects or clothing associated with the UID appear to be available. It's unclear if the UID's clothing was destroyed as a result of being burned or if he was wearing clothing at all when his body was placed in the trash.
Profile
Characteristics
- Brown eyes.
- Curly, reddish-brown hair with blond ends.
- B-type blood.