A decades-old case has a major revelation.
There's a story on New Mexico's Rio Rancho Observer website that notes that remains from a 2001 case has been identified as 1950s wrestler and actor, Keeble Wofford Sr., also known as Kimo Mahi.
In 2001, remains were discovered by hikers in the Sante Fe National Forest after said remains were unearthed by animals. Othram, a corporation that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy to resolve unsolved murders, disappearances, and identification of unidentified decedents or murder victims, revealed the identity of the former John Doe.
Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer for Othram, said the following about the new developments:
"People should know that it doesn’t matter how old a case is or whether it was hopeless in the past; there is technology here today that is able to bring answers to families like in this case.
This was a well-known man who just disappeared more than 20 years ago, and now he has his name again."
The DNA lab notes that an anthropologist determined the skeletal remains were buried in a shallow grave. Initially, investigators believed that it may have been the remains of multiple people. Here's an excerpt from the press release:
"Initially, investigators believed it may have been the remains of more than one person, but later evidence showed it was one adult male. Despite years of investigative efforts, the identity of this individual remained a mystery, and he became known as Sandoval County John Doe. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System."
Once Othram scientists put together a DNA profile, they passed it over to investigators with the Sandoval County Sheriff's Office and the FBI's forensic genetic genealogy team. The investigators drew up a family tree for the John Doe which led to likely relatives, including the possibility of a daughter. The daughter submitted a DNA sample and that was used to identify Worrford Sr.
The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator issued an official death certificate. Worrford Sr.'s daughter will receive his cremated remains.
Worrford Sr. was featured in movies and television shows such as 'Twilight for the Gods,' 'Sea Hunt,' 'Hawaiian Eye' and 'Flight.' In his wrestling career, he had over 130 matches. The circumstances of his death are still being investigated. The belief is that he traveled from Pueblo, Colorado to Albuquerque, New Mexico in September 1992 for a business meeting and was never heard from again.
This is the fourth case in the state of New Mexico where officials have publicly identified missing individuals with assistance from Othram.
