Who was he?
News Articles
Posted 2:47 AM 2/7/2012 : Who was he anyway?
TUCSON - Skeletal remains were found in the desert in 2008, but it was just recently the Pima County Medical Examiner's office helped Sheriff's homicide detectives identify the victim.
Chief Medical examiner Greg Hess says the remains belong to a 20-something Hispanic man.
The skeletal remains were found off Silverbell and Avra Valley roads on December 19, 2008. Detective Chris Hogan is working the case. "He was bound and typically leads to some kind of kidnapping situation."
The initial report listed him as John Doe. He was in the desert for about a year before hikers found him.
Dr. Bruce Anderson, an anthropologist in the medical examiner's office, examined the bones and took DNA samples from the skull and the shin bone.
Those samples were sent to two separate labs, including the FBI's combined DNA Index System known as CODIS, a nationwide database for missing people.
Dr Hess says, " DNA profiles were made and they were simply in storage because the DNA profile doesn't help you unless you have something to compare it to."
In October, the Pima Co. Sheriff's department got a match.
Detective Hogan says, "The Apache Junction Police Department was working on a cold case from 2003. They entered some DNA from a crime scene they believed belonged to a subject known as Jorge or George Galvan."
The medical examiner's office also found dental records consistent with the skeletal remains.
So, while the remains have been identified, Dr. Hess says they don't know how he died.
Detectives are now looking into who killed Jorge Galvan and why.
Family members have been notified of Jorge Galvan's death. They say they never reported him missing because they thought he was living out of state.
The sheriff's department is asking for your help in this case. If you have any information call 88-CRIME or 9-1-1. Galvan was known to frequent the areas of New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico.
Recent Videos
