After three decades of mystery and a quest for identity, a set of skeletal remains found under Portland's St. John's Bridge has been identified as Bryant Edward Deane. According to a report by KATU, the discovery of Deane's body dates back to more than 30 years ago, but it was only recently that DNA testing provided by the nonprofit DNA Doe Project granted him his name back.
The remains were originally found in 1992 by workers who were clearing brush in the area. Initial examinations suggested that Deane had been deceased for roughly a year, with fractures across his body indicating a possible fall from the bridge or being hit by a vehicle. Despite these findings, his identity remained elusive, and the case went cold.
In a pivotal turn propelled by advances in genetic genealogy, the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office collaborated with the DNA Doe Project, securing the funding necessary for advanced DNA extraction and sequencing. As a result of the meticulous work, WJHL outlines that an enhanced genetic profile was created, revealing Deane's North Atlantic, Baltic, and western Mediterranean heritage.
After an extensive search that included FamilyTreeDNA database comparisons and diving into archival records, volunteers finally connected the dots to Deane's remaining relatives. "This case was cold for 33 years," forensic anthropologist Hailey Collord-Stalder told KGW. "Bryant's parents passed in 2017 and 2019, respectively, never knowing what happened to their son. His family left a space for him on their headstone; now he can finally be laid to rest with his family."
