The Solano County Sheriff’s Office has reported a breakthrough in a two-decade-old cold case. According to a Facebook post by the Sheriff's Office, the remains of a previously unidentified man, referred to as John Doe #3 (2001) and found in Minor Slough on Ryer Island near Rio Vista on March 11, 2001, have been posthumously identified as Craig William Ott of Sacramento, who vanished in January of the same year.
Having made little progress near the discovery, the Solano County Coroner's Office, enlisting the help of technological advancements and the dedication of forensics staff, began revisiting cold cases in July 2023 as part of the Doe Cold Case Project. With the relentless past year of endeavor, new DNA testing and Forensic Genetic Genealogy have brought to light Ott's identity after being submerged in anonymity for over two decades.
The exhumation of John Doe #3 (2001)'s body paved the way for this advancement in the cold case. The identification process has been successful in partnership with Othram Inc. and the California Department of Justice. The Coroner's office expressed gratitude for their assistance, noting their "expertise and dedication have been instrumental in this process."
While the confirmation of Ott's identity provides some answers, the story behind his disappearance still looms unanswered, veiled in unknown circumstances since 2001. The Solano County Sheriff's Office is actively soliciting information from the public. They encourage anyone with knowledge about the disappearance of Craig Ott to reach out to Detective Christopher Cavazos at (707) 784-7050 or Coroner Investigator Jessica Dew at (707) 784-7500.
