New Reconstruction Shows Face of 1993 "John Doe" in Pleasant Prairie

It's a face no one has seen in 24 years.

Pleasant Prairie police have released new images showing a forensic facial reconstruction of their only "John Doe" - a man whose body was found, but never identified, all the way back in 1993.

Police Chief David Smetana says the investigation started on August 27, 1993 and now it's considered a cold case.

Trains still rush over 122nd street. It's about fifty yards from the steep hill where the body was found, Smetana said.

"A photographer walking along the railroad tracks here in the village discovered a badly decomposed body," Smetana said.

"There were some initial efforts done at the time of death. They were unsuccessful at being able to identify who the individual is. After December 2014, some of the remains were sent down to the University of North Texas," Smetana said.

Authorities recently got their first look at their "John Doe's" DNA profile, and Michigan state police provided the new images.

Forensic clay modeling laid over the "John Doe" skull reveals a face: a male, 40-to-60-years-old, Hispanic, Native, or Caucasian ancestry.

It's still a vague description but the image could remind a family member or friend about a loved one they had lost so long ago, Smetana said.

"It could have been somebody actually riding a freight train, somebody dying of some natural causes next to the railroad tracks who was living out there. It could have been a myriad of situations," Smetana said.

"This individual belonged to somebody. This individual was a part of a family. They were known to other people who have since, since 1993, been missing this individual," Smetana said.

The Kenosha County Medical Examiner spearheaded this process, Smetana said.

It's also worth noting that this is Pleasant Prairie's only "John Doe" case.

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