IN RICHMOND JOHN DOE: WM, 25-30, found in motel room in Richmond, IN - 19 May 1979 - Obese & false ID

[Romulus]

NamUs UP12980

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Unidentified White Male
The victim was discovered on May 19, 1979 at the Town and Country Motel, 3643 East Main St., Richmond (Wayne County), Indiana
Body Condition: Recognizable face

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 25-30 years
Approximate Height: 5'9" (69 inches).
Approximate Weight: 290 pounds.
Hair: Dark and wavy
Body Hair: Dark Brown
Facial Hair: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Other Distinctive Characteristics: Obese

Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: One change of clothing and toiletries in a small vinyl suitcase were found in the room. All tags had been removed.
Footwear: not known by investigator
Other Items: 3 recent magazines, all with address labels removed.

Identifiers
Fingerprints: Fingerprint information is available elsewhere
Dentals: Dental information / charting is currently not available
DNA: Sample submitted - Tests complete
Circumstances
Cut his right wrist and sat watching television until death. Name and address in motel registry proven falsified by police locally. Clothing tags had all been removed as well as addresses on magazines found in the room.

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[Romulus]

2388UMIN - Unidentified Male​

Date of Discovery: May 19, 1979
Location of Discovery: Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana
Estimated Date of Death: One day prior
State of Remains: Unknown
Cause of Death: Suicide

Physical Description​

Estimated Age: 25-30 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 275-290 lbs.
Hair Color: Dark brown, wavy.
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Available.
DNA: Unknown

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: A small gray vinyl suitcase that contained a change of clothing and toiletries. Labels had been removed from every item of clothing. Three recent editions of a magazine were found in the room, but their mailing labels had been removed.

Circumstances of Discovery​

The man's body was found in his room at the Town & Country Motel at 3643 E. Main St. The man had slashed his right wrist and then calmly sat and watched television as he bled to death.

Police searching the room found nothing to help them identify the man. Investigators backtracked his movements and found that he had refused to register for the room, paying cash for one day's stay. Police later learned the man had been picked up by a taxi at 16th and East Main Streets May 15th and was taken to the Holiday Motel at 3004 E. Main Street, where he checked in and remained until May 18th when he left for the Town & Country Motel. Investigation revealed that the man signed the Holiday Motel register as Vincent Cuomo of 6858 E. 78th St., New York, N.Y. Police in Brooklyn, N.Y. were asked to assist, but sent word that there is no such address in that city. Several Cuomo families lived in the area at that time, but none apparently knew of a missing family member named Vincent.

Fingerprints were taken from the body and sent to the Indiana State Police and the FBI, but did not lead to the man's identity. An attempt to trace telephone calls apparently made by the man from a pay booth across from the Holiday Motel was fruitless.

He is buried in King Cemetery. A temporary marker bearing the inscription "John Doe, name unknown" was placed on his grave, but vanished over the years.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Indiana State Police
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 765-778-2121

Agency Name: Wayne County Coroner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Coroner Ron Stevens
Agency Phone Number: 317-694-9563
Agency Case Number: 2014WCCORN239

NCIC Case Number: N/A
NamUs Case Number: 12980

Information Source(s)​

2388UMIN

NamUs
Find a Grave