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Cold case which baffled detectives for 58 years finally solved after Facebook..

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Cold case which baffled detectives for 58 years finally solved after Facebook tip

The body of a young boy found by a fisherman in mountains east of Oregon, US in 1963 had remained unidentified for decades, with the FBI even drafted in to help

By Jonathan Coles Reporter

15:34, 29 JUN 2021

A cold case which baffled detectives for nearly 60 years has finally been solved after a tip was sent on Facebook.  The body of a young boy found by a fisherman in mountains east of Oregon, US in 1963 had remained unidentified for decades.  The corpse, discovered wrapped in blankets, bound and weighted down with iron, was initially estimated to be a two-year-old.  But a lack of other clues that could help police trace his identity meant the case went cold just a month after the grim find.  It was then archived by Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) until 2007, when a detective uncovered a dusty box of documents.  Some of the papers found related to the 'Keene Creek' case, prompting authorities to reopen their investigation.  The tiny body was then exhumed in 2008 and a DNA sample was taken, which allowed scientists to create a composite image.  But still detectives could not identify the boy until a message was sent on Facebook in late 2020.  JCSO said they received a tip which led the force to contact DNA experts and genealogists in a bid to chart a family tree.  Incredibly, a search of a huge database found two potential siblings of the John Doe child.  And JCSO said: "An interview with a DNA-confirmed maternal half-brother in Ohio revealed that he had a young sibling with down syndrome born in New Mexico who went missing.  Upon further investigation a birth certificate was uncovered, and after 58 years the Keene Creek baby Doe had a name: Stevie Crawford, born 10-2-1960."

The circumstances around the death remain unclear at this stage.  The body was found on July 11, 1963 near to the Keene Creek Reservoir along Highway 66 outside the city of Ashland.  Numerous agencies were involved in the investigation over the years, JCSO said - including the FBI.  Through the years, many people were instrumental in assisting to identify Stevie, often providing their time and efforts free-of-charge," the force added.

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