More than two years after a man was found dead near railroad tracks in West Sacramento, investigators still don't know his name. The Yolo County Sheriff's Office says the man, believed to be in his 70s, was discovered on April 16, 2024, on a grassy trail next to Union Pacific Railroad tracks near Yolo Street, carrying no identification of any kind.
A Trail of Clues With No Name Attached
According to KCRA, the sheriff's office is still seeking the public's help identifying the man two years after he was found. He was described as an older man, possibly in his 70s, about 5 feet tall and roughly 108 pounds, with brown eyes and short gray hair. A separate report from The Sacramento Bee placed the discovery near a grassy trail abutting Yolo and Mikon streets, within the same West Sacramento stretch along the tracks.
The man had no identification on him, officials said, but he was carrying something that gave investigators a lead: a receipt from a Taco Bell in downtown Sacramento. Surveillance cameras at that restaurant captured his image, according to a report from CBS News Sacramento, which also detailed his clothing — a red short-sleeved polo shirt and cutoff jeans.
Conflicting Details on a Key Piece of Jewelry
Descriptions of one potential identifying detail differ depending on the source. CBS News Sacramento reported the man wore a white metal bracelet around his left wrist, while KCRA's account describes it as a red and white metal bracelet in the same location. Investigators have not publicly reconciled the discrepancy, and both descriptions remain part of the record on the case.
The man was also described as possibly Asian, per CBS News Sacramento's reporting. Despite those identifying details and the Taco Bell surveillance footage, the case has stalled. The Sacramento Bee reported that several agencies, including the Sacramento Police Department's homeless outreach team, were unable to identify him.
Sheriff's Office Shares Photos, Renews Appeal
To jog the public's memory, the Yolo County Sheriff's Office has shared both a photo of the man captured at the Taco Bell and a rendering of how he appeared when he was found, according to a separate KCRA report. Anyone with information about his identity is urged to contact the Yolo County Sheriff's Office at 530-668-5280.
This case is one of many the county's coroner's office is still trying to solve. The Yolo County Sheriff's Office says it currently has 20 unidentified John Doe and Jane Doe cases dating back to 1960, and the office has publicly asked for the community's help identifying these individuals. Neighboring Sacramento County faces a similar backlog, with the Sacramento County Coroner's Office maintaining active unidentified cases dating to 1975 and likewise appealing to the public for leads.
For now, the man found along the tracks near Yolo Street remains known only by his description and the few possessions he carried that April day. Investigators say even a small detail — a memory of the man at that downtown Taco Bell, or recognition of his bracelet — could be enough to finally give him a name.
