A man whose skeletal remains were found in a Utah desert in 1998 has finally been identified, nearly three decades after investigators first discovered his body with the help of a psychic.
The man was identified this week as Pedro Calderon Marioni. He had likely been dead for about two years by the time his remains were found on June 2, 1998, in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area near Ticaboo, Utah, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office.
A Colorado Bureau of Investigation agent discovered Marioni's partially skeletonized remains near a drainage path, where they were partially covered by sand, rock, and dirt. The discovery came during a search for three suspects who had killed a Colorado police officer in the area. A psychic had led investigators to the location. Investigators found no connection between Marioni and the fugitives.
Personal items were found near his body, including cowboy boots, a bathrobe, a Ford truck key, and a long-distance calling card. Investigators believed at the time that he may have been traveling from Texas to California. Despite extensive investigation, his remains could not be identified by the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, and he became known as Garfield County John Doe.
Two years ago, in July, the state sent his remains to Othram, a cold case processing lab in Texas, for advanced forensic genetic genealogy testing funded by a federal grant. The lab built a DNA profile and provided investigators with new family leads. After reviewing historical records, locating potential family members, and conducting multiple interviews, investigators identified a possible sister in May. She provided a DNA sample that confirmed Marioni was her brother.
Garfield County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Tom Talbot described the outcome in a news release. "This identification demonstrates the value of persistence, collaboration, and advancements in forensic science," he said. "Most importantly, it provides long-awaited answers to a family that has lived for decades without knowing the fate of their loved one."
The sheriff's office said Marioni's case marked the eighth publicly announced cold case identification using Othram's genetic genealogy analysis. The three suspects in the original murder of Officer Dale Claxton died by suicide after investigators located them.
