Suspected murder victim identified 31 years after children found human remains in an Indiana field

Human remains found south of Indianapolis 31 years ago have been identified as those of a South Carolina man, authorities said.

The Johnson County Coroner’s Office said relatives of Michael Benjamin Davis said they lost touch with him in the late 1980s.

In 1993, children found remains in a field near Interstate 65 in Greenwood, Indiana, that is now a golf course. According to OthramThis is a laboratory that works with the police to assist in cases of human identification.

Othram said the remains were taken to the University of North Texas, where it was determined the person was a male in his 30s, standing between 4’10” and 5’4″ tall.

“Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement investigators to identify the individual, no match was found, and the case went cold due to a lack of investigative leads,” Othram said.

Decades later, DNA testing and genealogy work helped scientists determine the identity of the remains, the coroner’s office said in a report. Written statement sunday.

“Although this case has long been treated as a homicide, the cause and manner of death remain unknown until more information is known,” the coroner’s office said.

According to Othram, Davis was born in 1965 in Richland County, South Carolina, and would have been in his mid-20s at the time of his death.

The coroner’s office said Davis’ family plans to travel to Indiana to collect remains and speak to the news media on Thursday.