A 1986 murder victim has been identified after a cold case investigative unit combined forces with a forensic genetic genealogy company.
Hunters found a set of male human remains in a wooded area in Gilmer County, Georgia, on Aug. 9, 1986, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a news release. The remains were described as partially skeletal, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. They had also been scattered, police said, suggesting animal activity. An autopsy ruled the manner of death as a homicide, but no identification could be made.
The details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office “investigated numerous leads to identify the remains, but to no avail,” the bureau said.
In February 2024, the bureau began working with Othram, a company that has used advanced DNA testing to solve crimes and identify remains. The company was able to take a sample from the remains and develop a comprehensive genealogy profile, it said in a news release. That profile was then used to search for new leads in the case. Investigators traveled across the country as part of the follow-up, Othram said, and contacted and tested possible relatives.
They finally identified a set of relatives who were able to identify the man as David Clary, who was in his late 20s when he was killed. He grew up in the area of Charlotte, North Carolina. At the time of his death, he traveled frequently to Georgia, according to Othram.
Clary’s family was told of his identification in February 2025, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.
A criminal investigation into Clary’s death remains active, the bureau said.
Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University’s Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News’ TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
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