Virginia Man Identified After 31 Years as Florida John Doe

After more than three decades, the man known as “Pinellas County John Doe 1993,” whose body was found near the Clearwater Pass bridge in Florida in 1993, has been identified as Edman Eric Gleed, a missing Fairfax County, Virginia resident who was 84 years old at the time of his death. Gleed had disappeared after leaving his home for a routine morning walk, and his family had reported him missing shortly thereafter. The initial autopsy was inconclusive, with no foul play suspected, and no identification was found on the body or nearby clothing. Recent collaborative efforts by the Clearwater Police Department, the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office, and Moxxy Forensic Investigations used investigative genetic genealogy, revealing DNA matches linked to ancestors from England, which helped narrow down Gleed's identity. The identification was confirmed through a DNA comparison with Gleed's son, providing his family with long-awaited closure. Authorities continue to regard the circumstances of Gleed's death as a mystery, as the cause and manner remain undetermined.