Man’s Body Found in Montgomery County Finally Identified 37 Years Later

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – After nearly four decades, the body of a man who was a victim of a heinous crime has finally been identified in Montgomery County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office announced that the body, which was discovered in 1986, has been identified through forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) as Clarence Lynn Wilson.

The chilling discovery took place on August 3, 1986, when several individuals were at Crater Lake near FM 3083 and Exxon Rd. in the Conroe area. They stumbled upon a body partially submerged in the water. Law enforcement officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office quickly responded to the scene and retrieved the body. Shockingly, the unidentified man was found weighted down with two cement cinder blocks tied to an electrical cord.

A subsequent autopsy revealed that the man had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, confirming that he was indeed the victim of a homicide. However, despite extensive efforts at the time, the man’s identity remained a mystery. Descriptions were provided, including that he was aged between 20 and 30, stood at approximately five feet, six inches tall, and weighed 133 pounds. He had a slight build, reddish-brown collar-length hair, decaying teeth, and several tattoos on his arms. Notably, his left lower arm bore a small devil with a painted tail, his left upper arm had the name “Liz” inked on it, and his right upper arm displayed the word “Baby Dawn.” He also had his left ear lobe pierced. The victim was found wearing men’s blue denim jeans with a 30-inch waist and 31-inch length, a brown short-sleeved shirt, and men’s white athletic-type socks.

In 2015, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Detectives exhumed the remains in an effort to extract DNA for entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Unfortunately, this endeavor did not lead to an identification. However, advancements in DNA technology provided renewed hope in May 2023 when the remains were exhumed for a second time to acquire additional DNA for FIGG. The remains were transported to Othram Lab in The Woodlands, where scientists successfully obtained more DNA and commenced a genealogy assessment. The breakthrough came when a potential family member was traced to California, prompting local law enforcement to establish contact. The family member voluntarily provided a DNA sample, which was subsequently submitted to Othram Lab for analysis.

Recently, in October 2023, Othram Lab released a report confirming a familial match between the unknown human remains and the family member from California. The long-lost identity of the deceased has finally been revealed as that of Clarence Lynn Wilson, born on February 18, 1952, who had a last known address in Texas City.

Despite this significant breakthrough, the homicide investigation into Wilson’s death remains ongoing. Authorities urge anyone with information or who may have known Clarence to come forward and contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Squad at 936-760-5820 or Multi-County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-392-STOP (7867).