The skeletal remains found nearly two years ago in Knoxville have been identified, providing answers to the disappearance of a local man who went missing in 2020. The investigation led to the positive identification of Cody S. Wilhite, using advanced forensic techniques and thorough detective work to solve the complex case.
WATE reports that in November 2022, a tree trimming service made a startling discovery, leading Knoxville Police to confirm the fragments were human remains. The Knox County Regional Forensic Center took charge of the remains. Initially, a DNA approach seemed promising, but the breakthrough came when a forensic center investigator cross-referenced the case with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). "… It was one of our own investigators that was searching through NamUs and noticed Mr. Wilhite. He was not reported to our office by any agency as a comparison for these remains and she noticed similarities," said Chris Thomas, Chief Administrative Officer and Director of the Forensic Center.
Othram Inc., a forensic firm based out of Texas, initially seemed likely to play a pivotal role in identifying the remains via forensic genetic genealogy. According to WBIR, the company developed a DNA profile and conducted genealogy research, with a potential lead suggesting that the remains might belong to Wilhite.
The final identification came when forensic experts were able to successfully quickly match radiographs of Wilhite to the remains. "We pulled radiograph images and our forensic anthropologist compared them to the remains we had and made a positive ID," Thomas told WVLT-TV.
Wilhite, who had been missing for over two years, was last known to have contact with his family on May 10, 2020.
