After 26 years, Vigo County John Doe (1998) is identified

Summary

In January 1998, the skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered by a state highway worker near a western Indiana highway bridge in Vigo County. Vigo County is just southwest of Indianapolis. It was determined to be that of a white male between 1.73m and 1.88m tall. The man was aged between 40 and 60 years old. Details of the case have been entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under case number UP4829. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement investigators to identify the man, no matches were found and the case remained cold due to a lack of viable leads.

In April 2023, Indiana State Police and the Vigo County Coroners Office worked together to submit forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas, to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence, then used forensic-grade genome sequencing to establish a complete DNA profile of the unknown man. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used this profile to conduct genealogical research, providing new lines of inquiry to law enforcement.

With this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted, leading investigators to find potential relatives of the man. Reference DNA samples for a potential relative were collected and compared to John Doe's DNA profile. This investigation resulted in the positive identification of the man, who is now known to be 47-year-old Mitchell Preston. Preston was last seen in Anderson, Indiana, in August 1997. He was walking to California.

Anyone with information about Preston's disappearance, such as where he was last seen or what may have happened to him, is asked to contact the ISP Cold Case Team and Detective Brad Miller at 1-800-225-8576. All tips will be investigated and may remain anonymous.