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38-Year Cold Case Solved: Remains Found in Coal Bin Identified
19 Feb
Summary
- Human remains discovered in a coal bin were identified as a man missing for 38 years.
- DNA testing confirmed the remains belonged to Bryant Keith Bates, missing since 1988.
- Bates was found to have been shot in the head, and his death is classified as a homicide.
Human remains discovered in a coal bin have been identified as Bryant Keith Bates, a man who vanished 38 years ago, resolving a long-standing cold case. The remains were initially found in late 2004 but a DNA match for Bates, then 21, was only confirmed in February 2026. Bates was last seen on November 15, 1988, after leaving his family home for a friend's funeral.
His disappearance led to a missing persons investigation, with family expressing concerns about foul play. The skeletal remains, estimated to be between 17 and 30 years old, were found in a crawl space of a rental property. The clothing found with the remains matched what Bates was last seen wearing.
An autopsy determined that Bates died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide. While initial DNA submissions in 2015 and 2018 did not yield a match, further analysis using forensic genetic genealogy in March 2025 and subsequent testing in February 2026 by UNTCHI proved instrumental in confirming the victim's identity. Investigators are now working to identify the perpetrator.
