Photo, forensic team preparing to collect evidence, courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County Sheriff's Office, November 29, 2023
Citrus County, Florida - On November 28, 2023, the Florida Sheriff's Association (FSA) Cold Case Advisory Commission (CCAC) assisted the Putnam County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) with a 1981 East Palatka cold case. Under the leadership of Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast, the FSA's Cold Case Advisory Commission works closely with local and national law enforcement agencies to revisit unsolved cases and explore new leads by utilizing advanced forensic technologies.
In collaboration with the Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science and University of South Florida (USF), both located in Tampa, Florida, the FSA CCAC assisted in reopening Putnam County Sheriff's Office Case # SO 81-14219, a 1981 case in which a body was located, face down and completely nude, in a wooded area 30 feet off of Old San Mateo Road in East Palatka. At the time, the autopsy exam was limited due to decomposition, and anthropological analysis was not available for skeletal remains. No biological samples were retained, and the remains were buried in a 'John Doe' grave. The FSA CCAC is assisting PCSO's homicide unit with identifying, locating, collecting, processing, and analyzing evidence in this case.
"The Commission's previous work has proven to be pivotal in numerous cold cases across Florida," said Sheriff Prendergast. "As Chairman of the FSA CCAC, I am proud to be able to assist PCSO in furthering the investigation of this case and bringing justice to the victim's family."