Forensic sketches of unidentified Medical Examiner cases: On the left, a young man found in the Sweetwater Reservoir in 1999 and his distinctive tattoo below him; Top row, a girl found on Proctor Valley Road in 1978; A boy or teen (on her right) found on the Imperial Beach shoreline in 1979; Bottom row is a teen found in the Tijuana River in 1995; and a child found in a travel bag in Rancho Bernardo in 2004.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office is asking the public to help put names to several children and young adults who remain unidentified in cases that span decades. To bring new attention to these cases, the office works closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), NamUs, Rady Children’s Hospital and a forensic artist.
The latest case focuses on a dark‑haired teen or young man who likely went missing on New Years Eve 1998 or New Year’s Day 1999. His body was found in the Sweetwater Reservoir on Jan. 2, 1999. Investigators estimate he had been in the water for one to two days.
For more than 20 years, his identity has remained unknown. Investigators believe a new forensic artist sketch and a distinctive tattoo — suggesting an interest in mysticism or an earth-based religion — may help lead to his identification.
A reservoir employee found him about 15 feet from shore and about 100 feet south of Circulo Margen in Spring Valley. He was likely 17 to 22 years old, possibly Asian, American Indian, or Alaska Native. His left shoulder featured a large tattoo showing a banner with the word “WICCA,” a bird in flight shaped like a “V,” an ankh symbol and a pentagram.
He wore a gold-colored hoop earring in his left ear, a white polo shirt, black Levi’s jeans and boxer shorts. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed about 166 pounds.
To support the identification effort, an NCMEC forensic artist recently created both a plaster reconstruction and a new forensic sketch. This work builds on a long-standing collaboration among the Medical Examiner, Rady Children’s Hospital, NamUs, and NCMEC, which began producing public‑facing facial reconstructions of unidentified children during San Diego Comic‑Con International.
“The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office has collaborated with Rady Children’s Hospital and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to create live facial reconstructions of four unidentified youth in San Diego County,” said Medical Examiner Investigator Jennifer Wright. “These images show what these juveniles may have looked like prior to death.”
Other Unidentified Juvenile Cases
Previous Comic‑Con reconstructions and forensic sketches highlight four additional cases that remain unidentified:
- Case 78‑00338
A girl, estimated 14–18, found on Feb. 141978, near Procter Valley Road. She wore a white halter top with a blue floral pattern and denim overalls. She had extensive dental work, shoulder‑length brown hair in a ponytail, pierced ears, and a slightly malformed right ear.
- Case 79‑1646
A boy, estimated 12–16, found on July 22, 1979, on the Imperial Beach shoreline. Due to decomposition, little is known. He was about 5 feet tall, 98 pounds, with brown hair, and was wearing Lee jeans. He may have been Caucasian or Hispanic.
- Case 95‑0521
A Hispanic teen, 15–16, discovered March 16, 1995, near the Tijuana River. He wore black denim jeans by “Attrak,” a hooded sweatshirt, two crucifix necklaces, and black Puma shoes with a red stripe. His hair was cropped on the sides, and his left ear was pierced.
- Case 2004‑00913
A toddler boy, age 2–4, found May 4, 2004, in a wooded area of Rancho Bernardo. He was inside a green and tan canvas travel bag and wearing red warm‑up pants, a red sweatshirt, and tan/gray socks with red trim. Additional children’s and adult clothing was found nearby.
“If you have information regarding any of these unidentified youth, please contact the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office at (858) 694‑2895 and reference the case number associated with the sketch,” said Wright.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office provides independent, professional and transparent service to the community. Its team of forensic pathologists, investigators and support staff identify causes of death and help inform community health strategies that prevent future fatalities.
Data from County of San Diego