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#Post#: 2949--------------------------------------------------
HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN - 2 O
ct 2003 *Daniel Diaz*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:23 am
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HTML https://api.missingkids.org/photographs/NCMU1184596c1.jpg
HTML https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/6780
Unidentified male found deceased behind an abandoned gas station
along SR 109 just south of Interstate 70 in Henry County, ID. He
had been deceased less than 24 hours. The investigation revealed
that this same male was seen making a purchase at a Wal-Mart in
Reynoldsburg, OH two days prior to when his body was found. At
the time he was seen driving a red vehicle.
#Post#: 2950--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:24 am
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HTML https://i.imgur.com/hXQduiul.jpg
#Post#: 2951--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:24 am
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HTML http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/611umin.html
[img]
HTML https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/unidentified/images/a/ab/NCMU1184596c1.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/200?cb=20150829042724[/img]
Date of Discovery: October 2, 2003
Location of Discovery: Knightstown, Henry County, Indiana
Estimated Date of Death: Hours prior
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Homicide
Physical Description
Estimated Age: 17-30 years old
Race: Hispanic or mixed race
Gender: Male
Height: 5'2" to 5'3"
Weight: 108 lbs.
Hair Color: Dark brown to black, and short and coarse.
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: One Nevi (Mole) 3/4" in size on
right upper shoulder, and One Nevi (mole) 3/4" in size on the
left lower back. He wore a mustache and goatee.
Identifiers
Dentals: Available. Previous orthodontic treatment with some
brackets still attached to some teeth.
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Sample submitted - Tests not complete
Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Blue sweatshirt with "Malone USA" on the front. Brown
pants under dark UConn sweatpants; Duke ball cap. White Reebok
shoes.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Circumstances of Discovery
The victim was found murdered on October 2, 2003. Investigation
traced the male to Reynoldsville, Ohio where he was seen making
a purchase at a Wal-Mart store on September 30, 2003. He was
seen driving a red vehicle.
Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Henry County Coroner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Stacey Guffey
Agency Phone Number: 765-545-0301
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: Unknown
Agency Name: Henry County Sheriff's Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 765-529-5669
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 03-020257
NCIC Case Number: U000004735
NamUs Case Number: 6780
NCMEC Case Number: 1184596
Former Hot Case Number: 6
#Post#: 2952--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:25 am
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HTML http://unidentified.wikia.com/wiki/Henry_County_John_Doe_(2003)
[img]
HTML https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/unidentified/images/a/ab/NCMU1184596c1.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/200?cb=20150829042724[/img]
Case
On October 2nd, 2003 Detectives Jerry Cason and Frank Hittel of
the Indianapolis Police Department were escorting a prisoner
around Henry County, in an attempt to gain information about
crimes he had committed. The prisoner asked to use the restroom
and the detectives pulled into an abandoned gas station located
off I-70 on Indiana Route 109, where as they were taking a
break, one of the individuals discovered a deceased male lying
in the back of the gas station.
The deceased had been shot in the head and that he had only been
at this location for less than 24 hours. An autopsy was
performed in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Shortly after, his photo was
taken in attempts to identify him through the media but to know
avail. The detectives who had found the body surrendered their
service weapons to Henry County officials, as protocol to ensure
the officers were not involved in the murder.
The man was described as a Hispanic male (though an earlier
newspaper report identified him as a black male), between the
ages of 17-30, about 5'2 and weighed roughly 108 pounds. His jaw
had been wired shut and his teeth showed evidence of old brace
brackets from previous orthodontic work. He also had a small
mole on his upper right shoulder and one on his lower back.
Clothing and accessories
The John Doe was found wearing:
A blue "Malone USA" sweatshirt
Brown work pants with "UConn" warm-up sweatpants over the
pants
White Reebok Sneakers
White socks
White Duke Baseball Cap
Investigation
Sometime after the discovery, investigators found out that this
John Doe may have had a connection with the city of
Reynoldsburg, Ohio; as he was seen two days before his discovery
at the local Walmart making a purchase. Additionally, he was
seen driving a red car. Investigators have not speculated what
kind of car he was driving, nor any proof that he was at the
Walmart.
NCMEC took on the case in 2012, and provided the above
information to their bulletin as well as an updated
reconstruction of the victim. Prior to this, only a postmortem
photograph was available for identification purposes.
#Post#: 2953--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:25 am
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HTML https://www.facebook.com/HelpIDMe/p...376120190298/1267362213291683/?type=3&theater
#Unidentified in Indiana
On October 2, 2003 a Hispanic, 17-24 year old male was found
deceased in Henry County, #Indiana. He was found behind an
abandoned gas station along SR 109 just south of Interstate 70.
He had been deceased less than 24 hours.
The male had received orthodontic treatment and had braces put
on his teeth earlier in life. When he was found he still had old
brace brackets still attached to some of his teeth. He might
have self-removed some brace brackets.
The investigation revealed that this same male was seen making a
purchase at a Walmart in #Reynoldsburg, Ohio two days prior to
when his body was found. At the time he was seen driving a red
vehicle.
#Post#: 2954--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:26 am
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HTML https://www.theindychannel.com/news/police-stumped-in-identifying-slain-man
Police Stumped In Identifying Slain Man
Henry County sheriff's investigators are seeking the public's
help in trying to identify a man found dead outside an abandoned
building near Knightstown last week.
Two police officers found the body Thursday near Indiana 109 and
Interstate 70.
Police said the victim (pictured, left), a Hispanic male,
appeared to be between 17 and 22 years old. He was 5 feet 2
inches tall and 108 pounds. Police said his jaw was wired shut,
most likely from extensive dental work.
The man died of a gunshot wound to the head at close range,
police said. In order to generate some leads in the case,
investigators are taking the unusual step of releasing a photo
of taken of the victim's corpse, RTV6's Vince Robinson reported.
Henry County Sheriff Kim Cronk said that while it is a
regrettable way for friends or family to see a loved one, they
had no other alternative in trying to find the victim's killer.
"Basically, at this point, we have to turn to the public to try
to assist us to identify the individual because we have no leads
on who may have shot this person," Cronk said.
"We feel that once we make the identification, hopefully we can
come up with some leads. At least we'll know who the person runs
with, and what associations he's had."
Investigators are sending the man's fingerprints to an FBI lab
for processing.
The guns have been taken from the two undercover Indianapolis
police officers who found the victim. Ballistics tests will be
conducted later this week, Robinson reported, but investigators
said the officers are not suspects.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Henry County
Sheriff's Department at (765) 529-4901.
#Post#: 2955--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:26 am
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HTML http://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMU/1184596
HTML https://api.missingkids.org/photographs/NCMU1184596c1.jpg
Date Found: Oct 2, 2003
Location Found: Knightstown, IN
Estimated Age: 17-24
Sex: Male
Race: Hispanic
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Estimated Height: 5'2"
Estimated Weight: 108 lbs
An unidentified male was found deceased behind an abandoned gas
station along SR 109 just south of Interstate 70 in Henry
County, Indiana. He had been deceased less than 24 hours. The
male is described to be Hispanic, 17-24 years old. He stood
approximately 5’2” tall and weighed 108 lbs. He had short coarse
black hair and had a mustache and thin goatee. He had a small
mole on his upper right shoulder and another on his lower back.
He was found wearing a blue sweatshirt with “Malone USA” written
on the front, brown work pants underneath “UConn” warm up
sweatpants, white socks, white Reebok sneakers, and a white Duke
baseball cap. The male also had old brace brackets still
attached to some of his teeth from previous orthodontic
treatment. The investigation revealed that this same male was
seen making a purchase at a Wal-Mart in Reynoldsburg, Ohio two
days prior to when his body was found. At the time he was seen
driving a red vehicle. The image above is a facial
reconstruction completed by a NCMEC forensic artists and depicts
what the male may have looked like in life.
#Post#: 2956--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: February 20, 2020, 12:28 am
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HTML https://img.bestplaces.net/images/city/1840266_IN_Knightstown.png
John Doe's body was found south of Interstate 70 near
Knightsville, Indiana. He was seen alive in a Walmart in
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, two days before his murder.
#Post#: 9991--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: December 7, 2022, 1:42 am
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Henry County John Doe has been identified as Daniel Diaz of
Columbus, Ohio.
[img]
HTML https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/unidentified/images/a/ab/NCMU1184596c1.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/200?cb=20150829042724[/img]
#Post#: 9992--------------------------------------------------
Re: HENRY COUNTY JOHN DOE: HM, 18-24, found in Knightstown, IN -
2 Oct 2003 *GRAPHIC*
By: Scorpio Date: December 7, 2022, 1:43 am
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HTML https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/man-found-shot-to-death-in-henry-county-identified-two-decades-later/
Man found shot to death in Henry County identified two decades
later
HENRY COUNTY, Ind. (FOX59) — After nearly two decades of being a
John Doe, a man who was found shot to death behind an abandoned
gas station in 2003 finally has a name.
The Henry County Coroner’s office identified the man as Daniel
Diaz of Columbus, Ohio. Coroner Stacey Guffey said the FBI got a
hit on the fingerprints that were sent to them shortly after the
body was found.
“They did have the fingerprints from our victim on a previous
arrest and that’s how they were able to compare what was sent in
from our county,” Guffey said.
Diaz was initially found by two undercover Indianapolis police
officers who were on a ride through Henry County with an
informant, according to the FOX59 archive. The officers stopped
to use the restroom at the abandoned gas station along State
Road 109 just south of I-70 when they found the body.
“He was wearing sweatpants, tennis shoes, a blue sweatshirt and
a white hat,” a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said at
the time. “Also the individual has his jaw wired shut.”
Investigators at the time hoped to identify the man by his
extensive dental work, according to FOX59 archives. Clues at the
scene pointed toward a gruesome death.
“It appears that he was grasping at some of the grass around the
area possibly after he was shot,” the sheriff’s office said in
2003.
Investigators eventually released photos of the victim to see if
anyone could identify him. However, years went by and the man’s
identity remained a mystery.
“Unfortunately there was just limited information on the
victim,” Guffey said. “And so, everything just kind of came to a
halt.”
Guffey made it his mission to identify the man when he became
coroner in 2005. The county sent the man’s fingerprints and DNA
to federal agencies but got nothing. That is until Guffey
received an email from the FBI in February 2022 telling him they
matched Diaz’s prints that they obtained from a local police
agency.
Guffey tracked down Diaz’s family and let them know he had their
son.
“Father, mother and sister all basically said that they felt
like he just kind of went his own way and that he didn’t want to
have a relationship with them,” Guffey said. “They were very
distraught, very emotional, crying and very upset. But also it
seemed like they were good with the fact that he just didn’t
write them off.”
Diaz was buried in a cemetery in Lewisville, Indiana. At the
time, the community came together and, with donations from
people and local businesses, were able to give him a headstone,
which reads “here lays a young man that only God knows.”
The coroner said there are plans to add his name and birthdate.
His family decided to leave him buried in Henry County and they
hope to visit later this year.
Even though it’s been nearly two decades, Guffey said the search
for his killer will continue.
“Regardless if you know them or not there’s always a suspect,”
Guffey said. “We just may not know them right now. But that
could change.”
Anyone who has any information on this crime should contact the
Henry County Sheriff’s Office at (765) 529-5669.
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