On Jan. 8, 1994, skeletal remains belonging to an unidentified individual were found in northern Baldwin County, Alabama, south of Interstate 65. A hunter made the discovery in a wooded area. Officials responded to the scene and determined that the remains belonged to an adult male. While investigators believed that the man was was not from Baldwin County, he could not be identified. As part of the investigation into the man’s identity, details of the case were entered into NamUs as UP109307.
In an effort to identify the man, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, working with local law enforcement, worked to submit forensic evidence to Othram in hopes that identity inference could lead to his identity. Identity inference is a process that enables investigators to identify individuals from DNA evidence, even when there is no known reference sample to initially compare against.
In March 2024, forensic evidence arrived at Othram's laboratory headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas. At Othram, scientists successfully extracted DNA from the provided evidence, and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive SNP profile for the man. This SNP profile powered a forensic search led by Othram's forensic genetic genealogy team, which resulted in new investigative leads.
A follow-up investigation led investigators to potential relatives of the man. This investigation led to the identification of the man, who is now known to be James Carol Jackson, a resident of Texas. Investigators believe that Jackson was murdered between 1988 and 1989.
According to investigators, Jackson was a welder and told family members he was going to Alabama for work around 1987, having possibly worked on road construction projects in the South Alabama area. He stopped communicating with his family around 12 months after he left Texas.
Jackson was last seen driving a model year 1978 to 1981 red Chevrolet Camaro with white interior, no spoiler, and a CB antenna, which has not been found. It is believed that Jackson may have lived off of Baldwin County’s Highway 225 and may have frequented bars along the route and in Bay Minette such as the Tensaw Lodge. Family members described him as a non-violent, easy-going guy.
Officials request the public's help, asking anyone with information about Jackson's death to come forward. Call 251-937-0202 or contact Cold Case Investigator Clint Cadenhead at 251- 972-8589, option 7, with any information.
Individuals who have taken a consumer DNA test can aid ongoing forensic investigations by joining the DNASolves database. Expanding the pool of available DNA data increases the likelihood of successful identifications, helping to reunite families with their missing loved ones and resolve cases that have remained unsolved for years. This is the 8th publicly announced case in the State of Alabama where officials leveraged Othram’s identity inference pipeline. Explore other cases at Othram.com.
Republished courtesy of DNASolves