The remains of a man found 28 years ago in the Utah desert have been identified as Pedro Calderon Marioni. Marioni, 31, was found on June 2, 1998, in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Ticaboo, Utah, after a psychic led investigators searching for three suspects who killed a Colorado police officer there.
Identification Process
Marioni’s partially skeletonized remains were identified by a forensics lab that specializes in cold case investigations. Personal items were found near his remains, including cowboy boots, a bathrobe, a Ford truck key and a long-distance calling card. Investigators believed at the time that he may have been traveling from Texas to California.
Two years ago, the state sent his remains to Othram, a cold case processing lab in Texas, for advanced forensic genetic genealogy testing made possible by federal grant money. The lab was able to put together a DNA profile and give investigators new family leads. After reviewing historical records, locating potential family members and doing multiple interviews, his possible sister was identified in May. She gave investigators a sample that confirmed Marioni was her brother.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
