The long-standing mystery of a body recovered from the banks of the Mississippi River has been solved after 31 years, Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak reported. Benny Leo Olson, originally from Edwardsville, Illinois, has been identified as the "John Doe" found deceased near Rush Island in September 1994. St. Louis Post-Dispatch shared that advances in DNA testing and fingerprints were critical in solving the case.
Last year, in a pursuit of closure, Olson's body was exhumed on September 11th, a decision that proved instrumental in this identification. Heartland Genetic Genealogy footed the bill for the lab work, providing crucial support to the investigators. As per a statement obtained by KSDK, there were no reports of Olson missing, which shrouded his disappearance in more mystery. His sister, who had last seen him roughly a year before his body was discovered, was the final family connection authorities were aware of.
In an announcement on Tuesday by Jefferson County authorities, the identification of Olson was described as a collaborative effort. Forensic Genetic Genealogist Alyssa Feller expressed relief in her contribution to returning a name to John Doe. "I am honored to have assisted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in identifying Mr. Olson after so many years," Feller stated in a news release shared by FOX 2 Now. "This case resolution is a testament to the power of investigative genetic genealogy to give John and Jane Does their names back and provide answers to family."
The identification of Olson is among the latest in cold cases to benefit from the transformative capabilities of DNA technology. Just earlier this month, investigators identified Wyona Michel, another individual whose life and legacy remained a question for over three decades.
