After 28 Years, Identity of Michigan Homicide Victim Revealed
After nearly three decades, a mystery in Plymouth, Michigan, has finally seen a breakthrough—but questions still remain.
Discovery in Detroit Suburb
WDIV Local 4 reports that in May of 1997, a man looking to buy property off Haggerty Road made a disturbing find. As he walked the land, he spotted a rolled-up carpet. Inside were skeletal human remains, along with clothes and jewelry.
Police determined the remains belonged to a male, roughly 5'8", with a slender build. Based on the condition of the body, they believed he had been there for several years. Evidence suggested the man had suffered a head injury, and his death was ruled a homicide.
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Years of Investigation and No Answer
Though items were collected at the scene, law enforcement couldn’t figure out who the man was. A DNA test in 2015 also came up empty, leaving the man unidentified for years.
Breakthrough Through DNA Technology
That changed in 2022 when forensic specialists sent the remains to Othram, a lab in The Woodlands, Texas. Using advanced DNA technology, scientists were able to extract a detailed profile.
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That profile revealed something unexpected: the man wasn’t Caucasian, as originally believed—he was of African descent.
Michigan John Doe Finally Identified
With the new information, eventually a possible family member was identified. A DNA comparison confirmed it: the remains belonged to Benjamin Harrison Fountain, born May 6, 1926. Mr. Fountain was originally from Virginia, later moved to West Virginia, and ended up in the Detroit area.
On May 16, 2025—nearly three decades after he was found— Mr. Fountain was finally buried under his own name at Our Lady of Hope Cemetery in Brownstown.
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According to DNAsolves.com, this case marks the 19th time in Michigan that Othram’s technology has helped identify an unknown individual. The same techniques were also used to recently identify the remains of a Michigan teen who went missing in 1987.
Although his identity is now known, the investigation into Benjamin Fountain's murder is still ongoing.
Anyone with details that could help is encouraged to contact Plymouth Township Police at (734) 354-3250.
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Gallery Credit: Scott Clow
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