Cold Case Detectives Need Help Identifying Skeletal Remains Found in Southeast Austin

AUSTIN, Texas (KWTX) - Cold Case detectives are seeking help in identifying the skeletal remains of a young man found in Austin.

Austin Police Department officers found on Dec. 20, 2021, the skeletal remains in a wooded area near Alum Rock Drive in Southeast Austin.

“ The unknown person was estimated to be between 16 and 20 years old at the time of death. The man is considered White or Hispanic; investigators believe he had black hair and brown eyes,” said the police.

Detectives can not determine his height and weight at this time. Despite the extensive efforts of law enforcement, the decedent’s identity remains a mystery.

On January 2022, details of the case were entered into National Missing and Unidentified Persons System as #UP87802. A forensic artist with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also created a forensic drawing to depict the man’s appearance.

In 2023, Austin Police Department partnered with Othram, a corporation specializing in forensic genealogy, to generate new leads in the case.

The unidentified person is believed to be:

* Male

* White or Hispanic

* 16 – 20 years old at the time of death

* Possibly black hair

* Possibly brown eyes

* Unknown weight and height

Anyone with information that could help this investigation should contact the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office by calling 512-854-9599 and referencing agency case number 21-07855 or NamUs #UP87802.