– Long-tailed bone found in 1989 in Wisconsin chimney
– Man last contacted relatives in 1970 and identified as bones.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Authorities have confirmed that human bones discovered inside the chimney of a Wisconsin music store in 1989 belong to Ronnie Joe Kirk, a man originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kirk, whose last known contact with relatives was in 1970, was identified through the efforts of the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit organisation that utilises genealogy to identify unknown individuals.
The remains of Kirk, including his bones and skull, were found in September 1989 in Madison, Wisconsin, at the bottom of the narrow chimney of a building that was later demolished. Despite extensive efforts by authorities to identify the individual, referred to as “Chimney Doe,” the case remained unsolved for decades.
In late 2018, Madison Police Detective Lindsey Ludden brought the case to the DNA Doe Project, leading to a breakthrough in the investigation. Hair samples from Kirk’s skull were sent to Astrea Forensics, a California-based DNA sequencing company specialising in degraded samples, in 2021.
Gwen Knapp, a representative of the DNA Doe Project, highlighted the complexities of Kirk’s case, including his adoption, multiple marriages, and three children. It took over two years to develop a suitable DNA profile for genetic genealogy analysis, ultimately leading to Kirk’s identification.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes expressed gratitude for the closure brought to Kirk’s family, who had been left with unanswered questions for decades. Kirk’s children, previously unaware of each other’s existence, have now been connected through the investigation.
Privacy has been requested by Kirk’s relatives, who have expressed relief at finally learning the fate of their loved one. The identification of Ronnie Joe Kirk has brought a sense of closure to a long-standing mystery, offering solace to his family after years of uncertainty.
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Bones found in Wisconsin chimney
Man last contacted relatives in 1970.
