Remains found in Indiana cornfield over 30 years ago now ID’d as SC man, officials say
More than three decades after children discovered human remains in an Indiana cornfield, the bones have been identified as a South Carolina man, officials say.
The remains were found by kids in April 1993 in Greenwood, about a 15-mile drive south from Indianapolis, according to Orthram Inc., a forensic genetic genealogy company.
Children playing in the cornfield initially thought the remains were of an animal, the Daily Journal reported. They later found more bones in a shallow grave about 300 feet away from Interstate 65, according to the publication.
The identity of the remains remained a mystery for more than 30 years — until now.
With the help of DNA testing, the remains were identified as Michael Benjamin Davis, of Richland County, South Carolina, according to the Johnson County Coroner’s Office. Davis would have been in his mid 20s, the coroner said in a Sept. 1 news release.
Orthram said it teamed with the coroner’s office, multiple police agencies and Indiana University to help identify the man.
The company’s forensic genetic genealogy team used a DNA profile it created of the victim to provide new investigative leads for authorities.
“Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the man,” Orthram said. “Reference DNA samples were collected from a potential relative and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man.”
The investigation led to the identification of Davis, who family members said they had lost track of in the late 1980s, according to the coroner.
The case has been suspected as a homicide, but the cause and manner of death remain undetermined, officials said.
The coroner’s office announced a Sept. 5 press conference with the victim’s family, who will claim the victim’s remains.
This story was originally published September 3, 2024 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Remains found in Indiana cornfield over 30 years ago now ID’d as SC man, officials say."