Hiker found charred remains near a creek in 1970, CA cops say. Now they’re identified
Charred skeletal remains a hiker found 53 years ago have been identified, a California sheriff’s department said.
The hiker stumbled upon the skeletal remains near the Little Sandy Creek area north of San Bernardino on Nov. 15, 1970, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a June 1 news release.
An autopsy showed no signs of foul play, deputies said. The remains were burned after the person had died as a result of a “recent brush fire,” according to the sheriff’s department.
Without any identification on the remains or any leads, “the case went cold,” deputies said.
More than five decades later, a bone fragment was sent in November to Othram Inc., a forensic genealogy company.
Genetic genealogy uses DNA testing coupled with “traditional genealogical methods” to create “family history profiles,” according to the Library of Congress. With genealogical DNA testing, researchers can determine if and how people are biologically related.
In January, the sheriff’s department said Othram found two possible relatives using a DNA profile extracted from the bone.
One of the relatives offered to give a DNA sample to compare with that of the skeletal remains, deputies said.
The relative’s DNA profile was a match, the sheriff’s office said, and the remains were identified as James Hollowell Harvey.
“He would have been 57 years old at the time his remains were found,” according to Othram.
Harvey’s death is being investigated, Othram said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call detectives at 909-890-4904.
This story was originally published June 2, 2023 at 7:37 AM with the headline "Hiker found charred remains near a creek in 1970, CA cops say. Now they’re identified."
