Skeletal remains found on Ohio farmland in 1991 finally identified

“We know from the nature of the crime scene that this may have been a homicide,” Ohio attorney general says

Skeletal remains found on Ohio farmland in 1991 have finally been identified after 31 years.

The remains were found on a country lane by hunters in Pickaway County, Ohio. Officials initially thought the remains came from a Native American woman around 25 years old because of where the remains were found as well as the small stature, the Sheriff’s office said.

The investigation later discovered that the remains had only been in its shallow grave for around three years. More information was revealed as the decades passed and as DNA analysis and forensics improved.

University of North Texas scientists extracted DNA from the bones in 2012, showing that the remains had come from a man who could have had ancestors from the Indian Subcontinent, CNN reported.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told the press on Tuesday that “for a lot of years, the only thing that was available was criminal databases for DNA”.

“So, you know, if your decedent, if your John Doe, your unknown is a person who committed a crime, that’s great,” he said, noting that would mean they might be in the database. “But if not, DNA does you no good at all.”

Robert Mullins disappeared in 1988 or 1989 (Pickaway County Sheriff's Office)

Genetic genealogy has since changed the field. The company AdvanceDNA posted the DNA profile on ancestry databases over the course of several months.

“We built an expansive family tree containing over 4,000 people,” Amanda Reno from AdvanceDNA told CNN. “Our research stretched into Virginia, Kentucky, Canada and all the way to England.”

Relatives with matching DNA took part in the investigation and requested updates on the progress. Ms Reno told the network that, via the research, the team was able to “develop a specific profile for the individual.”

The verification process included several steps and investigators were able to identify the remains as belonging to Robert Mullins from Columbus, Ohio, the Sheriff’s office said.

The office of the Ohio attorney general said Mr Mullins disappeared at some point in 1988 or 1989 at the age of 21.

“This is a case about science advancing, DNA gets better all the time,” Mr Yost told CNN. “We’re all going to die at some point – it’s the one thing that’s certain about our lives on this earth, but what a tragedy to die unknown – to not have a name to put on a memorial. Today, that circle closes. And that’s the first step on the rest of justice.”

The investigation will now carry on as a homicide case, officials said.

“We know from the nature of the crime scene that this may have been a homicide,” Mr Yost continued to the network. ” And now the detectives have the new information that’s going to allow them to go out and do what they do best: Hit the streets.”