The Lost and the Found

The victim's partial skeletal remains were found in an wooded area approximately 1/2 mile north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Midway Service Plazas, in Bedford, and about 85 miles east of Pittsburgh. He had died from a gunshot wound to the head, but while authorities believe the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, they don't know if it was an accident or suicide.

Investigators believe the man was well off because of the gold dental work and the contact lenses, which were unusual for the time. The contact lenses were traced to a Chicago manufacturer and fitted by an Illinois physician, but there are no records of the buyer. The books suggest the victim may have benefited from higher education, or may have been a serious student of poetry or literature.

The rifle was sold in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1939, but no further tracing of the gun's ownership could be found. The brass key hasn't been matched to any location. The dental work has yielded no matches.

While the victim appeared well-equipped for camping, investigators found no eating utensils nor food supplies.

Investigators do not believe the victim was from the Bedford area. Anecdotal information may connect this victim to the state of Kentucky: Prior to the victim's discovery, in September 1957, local police in Bedford Borough encountered a loitering man in possession of a rifle. This unidentified man said he was enroute from Kentucky to Canada.

Anthropologic examinations conducted in 1959 and again in 2003 revealed the victim to have been an adult male of European ancestry, likely between the ages of 30-35 with a living stature of about 6'4" (+/- 2").

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/8011

NamUs UP # 8011

ME/C Case Number: 2-C-3-55
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
30 to 35 year old White Male

Case Report - NamUs UP # 8011
Case Information
Status Unidentified
Case number 2-C-3-55
Date found October 09, 1958 06:30
Date created October 13, 2010 13:52
Date last modified July 22, 2013 15:15
Investigating agency
date QA reviewed October 15, 2010 05:02

Local Contact (ME/C or Other)
Agency Bedford Cnty Coroners Ofc
Phone 814-652-9384
Case Manager
Name David Clemens
Phone 814-696-6100

Demographics
Estimated age Adult - Pre 40
Minimum age 30 years
Maximum age 35 years
Race White
Ethnicity Other
Sex Male
Weight (pounds) , Cannot Estimate
Height (inches) 76, Estimated
Body Parts Inventory (Check all that apply)
One or more limbs not recovered
One or both hands not recovered
Body conditions
Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Probable year of death 1957 to 1958
Estimated postmortem interval 1 Years

Circumstances
Location Found
GPS coordinates 40 02 14 -78 29 37
Address 1
Address 2
City Bedford
State Pennsylvania
Zip code 15522
County Bedford
Circumstances
Partial skeletal remains discovered October 9, 1958, in a wooded area approximately 1/2 mile North of the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Midway Service Plazas, Bedford Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Extensive camping equipment, personal supplies, high powered rifle and ammunition also found nearby. Most of the camping equipment appears to be newer and shows little or no indication of use; also, though apparently well equipped for camping, investigators found no eating utensils (silverware) or food supplies. One science-related and two poetry books found with the camping equipment suggests the victim may have benefited from higher education, or to have been a serious student of poetry or literature. There was an associated key that had been duplicated by Active Locksmiths, 195 Avenue A, New York, NY. But this was a locksmiths stamp and the unidentified person is NOT ASSOCIATED with the property at this address.

Initial investigators felt certain the victim was not native to Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

In 1958, investigators determined the rifle to have been shipped from the manufacturer to a store in Fort Wayne, Indiana. No further tracing of the rifle's ownership could be effected.

Anecdotal information may connect this victim to the state of Kentucky: Prior to the victim's discovery, in September 1957, local police in Bedford Borough encountered a loitering man in possession of a rifle; this unidentified man said he was enroute from Kentucky to Canada.

Anthropologic examinations conducted in 1959 and again in 2003 revealed the victim to have been an adult male of European ancestry, likely between the ages of 30-35 with a living stature of about 6'4" (+/- 2").

The death cannot be classified as natural.

GPS data is approximate.

There is no ME/C case number. The Pennsylvania State Police incident number is 2-C-3-55.

Inquiries, please contact:

Pennsylvania State Police, Attn: Criminal Investigation Unit, 171 Arthur L. Hershey Drive, Bedford, PA 15522, telephone 814-623-6133,
**OR **
Pennsylvania State Police, Troop G Headquarters, Attn: Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit, 1510 North Juniata Street, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648, telephone 814-693-6100.

Physical
Hair color Unknown or Completely Bald
Head hair
Scientific examiner posits: straight hair, brown to dark brown in color.

Left eye color Unknown or Missing
Right eye color Unknown or Missing

Artificial body parts
and aids
Plastic contact lens discovered. Rx is known.

Skeletal findings
Adult male of European ancestry, liley between the ages of 30-35 with a living stature of about 6'4" (+/- 2"). Cranial vault described as being large, round and with a narrow nasal aperture. Available bones are described as being "robust." No scientific estimate of weight is available.

Fingerprints
Status: Fingerprint information is currently not available
Clothing and accessories are described below
Clothing on body
From the initial 1958 report: Gray wool hunting socks with red top; blue denim dungarees with wide black leather belt; white tee shirt; white jockey type shorts; black leather motorcycle type jacket with full length zipper and slant zipper pockets; no hat found.
Clothing with body
Numerous articles of clothing found nearby.
Footwear
From the initial 1958 report: Black "engineering" boots, length 12 5/8", width of sole 4 1/2", heel 3 1/4 ", top height 10 1/2", buckles on the outside.
Jewelry
None found.
Eyewear
Right corneal plastic contact lens. Specifications (Rx) known.
Other items found
with body
Extensive amount of camping equipment, toiletries, high powered rifle, ammunition, wallet containing U.S. currency and a single key. There was an associated key that had been duplicated by Active Locksmiths, 195 Avenue A, New York, NY. But this was a locksmiths stamp and the unidentified person is NOT ASSOCIATED with the property at this address.

Dental
Status: Dental information / charting is available and entered

DNA
Status: Sample submitted - Tests complete

Pennsylvania Turnpike Midway Service Plaza, Bedford, Pennsylvania

Address: 1152 Shed Rd, Bedford, PA 15522
Open 24 hours

http://pennsylvaniamissing.com/585umpamrbones.html

Pennsylvania Missing Persons
and Unidentified Victims



Unidentified White Male
"Mr Bones"
Found October 9, 1958 in a wooded area near Bedford, Bedford County.

Vital Statistics
Estimated Age: 30 to 35 years old
Estimated Height: 6'4" plus or minus 2"
Estimated Weight: 200 lbs, "robust build"
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Unknown
State of Remains: Skeletal
Estimated Time of Death: 6 months to a year, possibly longer.
DNA: Available
Dentals: Available, gold dental work.
Other: One plastic contact lens
Clothing: Heavy black leather "motorcycle" jacket, black leather engineer-type boots, blue denim pants with wide black leather belt, white t-shirt, jockey type shorts, gray wool socks with red top.
Items Found With Remains: A 30-06 Springfield rifle with one bullet fired from it and two left in the chamber;
three boxes of ammunition;
sleeping bag or bed roll,
backpack;
spare underwear;
towels, mess kit and shaving kit;
wallet with $23 in it;
heavy brass key with "Active 195 Avenue A" stamped on it, brand name "Unger";
three books - "100 Modern Poems", "Reading Poems" and "Science and the Modern World".

Case Details
On Thursday, October 9, 1958, shortly after sunrise, a maintenance foreman for the Sun Pipeline Company and his crew of four men were clearing brush from a pipeline right-of-way that runs through the Chalybeate area of Bedford, about a 1/2 mile from the PA Turnpike's north Midway Plaza.

The foreman stumbled upon the worn and weathered skeleton of a man who has come to be known affectionately as "Mr Bones". His remains were scattered along a ravine, possibly due to a stream that runs through the ravine. Many of his bones were held together by the clothes he wore. His possessions were found nearby.
It was estimated that he lay there for at least 6 to 8 months, possibly longer.

There was no apparent means of transportation. A car that had been abandoned on the turnpike around the time that Mr Bones died was determined not to be associated with him, so how he got to where he was found remains a mystery. His camping equipment, including a mess kit, appeared to be new but there were no eating utensils and no indication that he had brought food supplies.

Cause of death was a gunshot wound that shattered his skull, but whether it was an accident, suicide or homicide remains unknown. Investigators learned that the rifle had been shipped to a store in Fort Wayne, IN in 1938 but there were no records indicating who had purchased the gun.

Investigators believed the man to be somewhat well-off because of his gold dental work and a single plastic contact lens - a rare item at that time. The lens was traced to a manufacturer in Chicago and was fitted by an Illinois doctor, but no records exist indicating who purchased the lenses. It is not believed that he was native to the Bedford area.

Please click on the images below for an enlarged view

NamUs
The Doe Network
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
NewspaperArchive.com
Huntingdon Daily News
Bedford Gazette

http://unidentified.wikia.com/wiki/Mr_Bones

Mr. Bones
"Mr. Bones" is the nickname given to a male found in 1958 after he committed suicide.

Mr. Bones



Sex Male
Race White
Location Bedford Township, Pennsylvania
Found October 9, 1958
Unidentified for 59 years
Postmortem interval 6 months - 1+ years
Body condition Skeletal
Age approximation 30 - 35
Height approximation 6'2 - 6'6
Weight approximation 200 pounds
Cause of death Gunshot (suicide)