Credit: Ramapo
On March 21, 1991 the body of a young man was found buried in a shallow pit in Quincy, Massachusetts. Examination revealed that the man was a victim of homicide who likely died from blunt force trauma, his remains later concealed at the site in Quincy. With no identifying information on his person and no tips as to his identity, his name remained a mystery for decades.
In June 2026, the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office and Massachusetts State Police partnered with Ramapo College of New Jersey’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center in an effort to identify the 1991 Quincy John Doe. The same month, participants in the RCNJ IGG Bootcamp began work to identify a potential candidate.
After less than two days of research, the team determined that Glenn Powers was the most likely candidate for Quincy John Doe. Glenn was born in approximately 1951 and would have been approximately 40 years old at the time of his death. Investigators confirmed the candidate lead in October 2026 by obtaining a reference sample from a sibling of Mr. Powers.
The case continues to be investigated as a homicide and police are asking the public for assistance. Per the Massachusetts State Police, “Anyone with any information is asked to contact MSP tip line at the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office at 781-830-4990, Quincy Police at 617-745-5768, or the Massachusetts State Police Unresolved Case Unit at 1-855-MA-SOLVE or 1-855-627-6583.”
Data from Ramapo College of NJ IGG Center