Author Topic: ONE-EYED JACK: WM, 25-35, found in Tok, AK - 20 August 1979 - missing left eye *GRAPHIC*  (Read 304 times)

Akoya

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NamUs UP # 12375
https://identifyus.org/en/cases/12375


Found August 20, 1979 near Tok (Fairbanks North Star County), Alaska


Physical Description
Estimated age Adult - Pre 40
Weight (pounds) 185, Estimated
Height 72 inches (6 feet, 0 inches), Estimated
Hair Long, Brown
Eye description: Left eye missing, UP wore a leather patch over his eye
Eyewear Leather eye patch
Clothing with body headband

Body conditions
Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton
Probable year of death 1978

Identifiers
Fingerprints Fingerprint information is currently not available
Dental Dental information / charting is available and entered
DNA Not Available

Circumstances

On August 20th 1979, skeletal remains were found off a remote section of the Alaskan Highway near the town of Tok Alaska. There was significant evidence found by the investigators that conducted the scene investigation. Subsequently an individual in custody in Nevada admitted to murdering a hitchhiker that he had picked up in September of 1978 while driving in Alaska. The suspect was Jesse Burt Bishop DOB:03/26/44.

Bishop confessed to the murder and provided the following information about the victim.

He picked up the victim/hitchhiker near Boise Idaho while driving to Alaska. The victim stated that he was headed for Pendleton Oregon originally. As they drove Bishop told the victim he was headed for Alaska and the victim asked if he could go along. While driving through Canada, the victim got on his nerves because of the way he acted and Bishop decided to kill him.

After entering Alaska they stopped alongside the roadway in a remote area. After getting out of the vehicle, Bishop stabbed and strangled the victim to death leaving his body in the woods along the roadway.

Bishop stated that the victim had an Oregon driver’s license. He described him as a white male adult, 32 years of age, approximately 71” and about 165 pounds and he was a smoker. The victim had long dark hair and wore a headband. He could not remember the victim’s name but thought that it might be Jack or John. Additionally the victim wore an eye patch over his left eye which was completely missing.

Bishop thought that the victim could have been hurt during a logging accident from a choker cable in Oregon. Bishop stated that he thought the victim had worked for a Lincoln car dealership in Colorado or Utah where he washed cars. The victim told Bishop that he had been married but Bishop stated that the victim lied to him quite a bit. Bishop described the victims clothing also. he victim could be from anywhere in the northwest area of the united states.

The victim had been ravaged by animals. The clothing information provided by Bishop matched the clothing remnants at the scene. The skull and various bones were scattered throughout the area. Amongst the remains was a piece of scalp with long brown curly hair, with a dark leather eye patch tangled within the hair. A large white marble with orange coloration was found in the victims pants, it was suspected to be used by the victim as a glass eye.

Examination of the remains by an anthropologist provided that the victim was a white male, 25-35 yoa with brown medium length curly hair approximately 72” tall. A composite drawing and dental chart were completed of the victim.

Bishop died while still in custody in August of 2003. The victim has yet to be identified.