Linking a Name to the Dead

The Medical Examiner and his staff occasionally ask for the public’s help to link a name to an unidentified body in their custody, which is why we have posted this page.

Every now and then, someone dies in the county without a shred of information to help investigators track down Next-of-Kin for notification of their death. Until the ME’s Office does get a positive I.D., these people remain nameless – or get the so-called John or Jane Doe moniker until their real names are discovered.

The Collin County Medical Examiner’s office has eight such cases on file, dating back to 1986 and as late as 2007. Office investigators compiled the following list in the hopes that one day these people will be identified by friends or family.

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A male (race unknown) was found burning behind a trash receptacle near McCallum Blvd. and Coit Rd. in North Dallas. The man was burned beyond recognition and was deceased before the fire. He is a 5’6” to 6’ tall, weighed more than 200 lbs. and was older than 50. He had no teeth and was found without dentures. The decedent was found wearing a blue, collarless, cotton shirt. Though the shirt was badly burned, it is presumed that the word “STAFF” is present on the back of the shirt. The deceased had advanced heart disease.

The deceased is a white female, approximately 5’4” in height, weighing approximately 164 lbs. who was a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle. She has short, salt & pepper hair, light blue eyes, no upper teeth and is missing one lower tooth. She was wearing a cloth jacket, long-sleeve sweater with an Argyle pattern, blue T-shirt referring to a Missouri high school basketball tournament, blue jeans, knit gloves and white athletic shoes. Cause of death is multiple injuries.

The deceased is an African-American female who is older than 40 years of age. She was discovered, badly decomposed, in Lake Ray Hubbard (town of Lavon). She was found wearing black with white stripe “Adidas” brand jogging pants, size L. Also present were black “Adidas” brand shoes, size 7½ M, white “Hanes her way” underwear, size XXL and a black negligee´. Cause of death is multiple gunshot wounds.

Partially skeletonized human remains were discovered near Hwy 121 & CR 111. The deceased is possibly Caucasian and Meso and/or Native American. Clothing found with the deceased includes a short-sleeved shirt “Faded Glory” brand, size 3 XL, with vertical navy stripes with Colombian blue background. There is also short jeans pants “Authentic” brand (size is indeterminate) and “Hanes” brand underwear, men’s size 40-42 with a blue Mayan design on front. White “Air Nike” brand white athletic shoes (size 10.5 U.S.) were also found with the body. Cause of death is gunshot wound of the head and/or other homicidal violence.

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This human skull was discovered by a passerby near FM 455 approximately 2 miles west of Hwy 75 in Anna, TX. It was not reported to authorities until approx. 6 months after the discovery. It was discovered with a drawn black cat above and centered between the eye orbits. Anthropological evaluation suggests the skull is that of an Asian (not to exclude Hispanic or Native American) female between the ages of 18-33 years of age. Cause of death is indeterminate.

The deceased is a young adult Hispanic male, approximately 5’0” tall, 105 lbs. and of slight build, with brown eyes, black hair and a faint black moustache. The decedent had a small cross tattoo (approximately 5/8” in height) on his lower left forearm. Another tattoo is found on his upper left arm. This consists of a heart (approximately 2” in height) with the initials “R Y A” written inside with an arrow through the heart horizontally and a small cross on top of the heart. The decedent was found near CR 22 & FM 289 in Frisco on 12/15/1988. Cause of death is multiple stab wounds.

The deceased is a young adult Hispanic male, approximately 5’8” tall, 152 lbs, with brown eyes and wavy black hair with thin black moustache. He was found near State Hwy 121 & Rowlett Creek. He was discovered wearing pants with the right pocket liner inscribed with “Ayala, Helen” and a brown belt with white metal buckle inscribed with “S”. Cause of death is multiple gunshot wounds.

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A human right foot was discovered at a construction site at 9000 Dallas Parkway (near Pizza Hut Park) in Frisco buried under several feet of sand and dirt. No other remains were found in the immediate area or the site where crews had obtained fill dirt/ sand. The foot is absent of embalming chemicals and appears to have been removed after death.

For more information on unidentified persons listed by county agencies and the Texas Department of Public Safety, try the Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse. Four other unidentified bodies found in Collin County since 1988 are listed on the site.