Officials in Ramsey County are turning to the public in a difficult effort to put a name to a man whose badly decomposed remains were pulled from the Mississippi River near Harriet Island last May. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office says the man was white, likely under 40, stood somewhere between about 5-foot-10 and 6-foot-2, and weighed at least 150 pounds. He also had surgical hardware in his right ankle. With most of the head missing, investigators say dental records, the ankle hardware, and clothing details are likely their best shot at confirming who he was.
What officials released
Investigators have pushed the case into national databases and released a detailed clothing and physical description to try to jog memories, according to the Pioneer Press. The Medical Examiner’s Office told the paper the remains, which were recovered on May 23, 2025, are listed in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System under case number UP148173 and are logged locally as reference case number 25-1653.
Authorities estimate the man’s height at about 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-2 and his weight at a minimum of 150 pounds. When he was found, he was wearing black jeans, a red graphic T-shirt, and a black Reebok hoodie. Investigators are hoping those details might ring a bell for someone who remembers a friend, coworker, or neighbor who suddenly went missing.
Discovery and early reporting
The first public word of the case surfaced last summer, after crews responded to the river near Harriet Island and the St. Paul Yacht Club. St. Paul police, the Ramsey County sheriff’s water patrol, and the St. Paul Fire Department all took part in the recovery of the body from the Mississippi, as reported by Bring Me The News. At the time, the body was taken to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office for identification, and officials did not release any information about the cause of death while they worked the case.
Where the body was found
The stretch of river where the body was discovered is hardly a forgotten backwater. Harriet Island Regional Park lines the downtown St. Paul riverfront, with public docks, event spaces, and a steady flow of boaters and parkgoers, according to the City of Saint Paul. Given how busy that area can be, officials are asking anyone who was on or near the riverfront in late spring 2025, including boaters, anglers, and people attending events, to look back at phone photos, videos, and boat logs for anything that might help identify the man.
How to pass tips
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office is asking anyone with even a small piece of information to reach out, and to reference case number 25-1653 when they do, according to the Pioneer Press. Investigators say dental records and the surgical hardware in the man’s right ankle could be crucial in confirming his identity, if someone comes forward with a possible match.
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