Credit: Bensalem Township Police Department
The Bensalem Township (Penn.) Police Department and the non-profit Cold Case Initiative have identified a body that was discovered on the banks of the Delaware River in 2003.
On Oct. 19, 2003, two fishermen discovered the body of a white male in a drainage area. The male had no identification, and his description did not match any reports of missing persons in the area. An autopsy was performed, and it was determined that there was no trauma to the body and that the cause of death was drowning. The manner of death could not be determined. Partial fingerprints were obtained but did not match any known fingerprints in the national database, and samples for DNA comparison were obtained.
The unidentified male was buried in the Doylestown Cemetary while attempts to identify him continued. Bensalem Police compared the unknown male to numerous missing person reports over the next 19 years without success.
In December 2022, Bensalem Police obtained hair samples from the Bucks County Coroner's Office that were collected at autopsy. Those hair samples were sent to a private laboratory where a DNA profile was obtained.
The non-profit agency Cold Case Initiative got involved and funded an investigative genetic genealogy search of public DNA databases by a genealogist. The search and subsequent investigation led investigators to speak with Edward Nece from Riverside, New Jersey.
On Oct. 19, 2023, exactly 20 years after the body was discovered, Nece told investigators that his son, Edward Anthony Nece, hadn't been heard from for 20 years. Nece provided a DNA sample that was then compared with the DNA recovered from the unknown male. The DNA match confirmed that the unidentified male was Nece's son.
Without the assistance of the Cold Case Initiative, the family of Edward Anthony Nece would still be wondering what happened to their loved one. Cold Case Initiative is a nonprofit that assists agencies with funding to solve cold cases, violent crimes, missing persons, and unidentified decedents utilizing investigative genetic genealogy services. If you want to donate to this important cause and help other families find their loved ones, please visit their website by clicking HERE.
Republished via CRIMEWATCH