In a revelation long awaited by the San Joaquin community, a man found deceased more than 40 years ago in the county has been positively identified. As reported by KCRA, advancements in fingerprint technology were instrumental in putting a name to the face of the man found floating in rural Thornton back in July 1981. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office identified him as Edward Donald Raymond, also known as Edward Wilson, at 34 years old at his time of passing.

The sheriff's office recounted that when recovered on that summer's day near Blossom Road and Beaver Slough, Raymond's body was in advanced stages of decomposition, bearing a tattoo proclaiming "Black is beautiful" on his left arm, and a gunshot wound was apparent on his right shoulder. He had never been reported missing, with his last known official interaction being an arrest in 1976, as shared by CBS News Sacramento. A white or beige Cadillac was seen in the days preceding the grim discovery around the area, driven by a person who supposedly resembled Raymond, but the vehicle was never found near the site of his death.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office has urged the public to come forward with any information about Edward Donald Raymond's life and the circumstances leading to his death. As per their statement, Raymond's past was as much a mystery as his death, marked only by the Oakland address he had provided to the San Francisco Police Department in an arrest five years before his demise. 

Authorities are adamant about seeking justice for Raymond, despite the passage of time. In words echoed from both reports, someone out there might hold the key to resolving unanswered questions surrounding his untimely death. The sheriff's department encourages anyone with information to contribute to their ongoing investigation.