On February 7, 1994, hikers discovered human remains approximately a quarter mile south of US Highway 89 near Big Water Utah.
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office, investigated the case. In the following years, repeated attempts were made to identify the subject; dental records of a missing individual from a neighboring county were tested but a match to the man could not be made. Kane County Sheriff’s Office detectives submitted the unidentified subject’s DNA into national databases, but all attempts were unsuccessful. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement investigators to identify the subject, the case went cold for 30 years. In 2024 Kane County detectives, with the cooperation of the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office and the Utah State Bureau of Investigation, submitted forensic evidence to the Othram DNA laboratory in Texas. At Othram Laboratory, scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence provided by detectives and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unidentified man. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the newly generated DNA profile to conduct detailed genealogy research. Ultimately the DNA and genealogy provided new leads to Kane County Sheriff’s Detectives.
Using this new information, detectives conducted a follow-up investigation which revealed promising contact information of some potential relatives of the unidentified male victim. Contact was made with the possible son of the subject. A DNA sample was collected and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown man. This investigation led to the positive identification of the victim. The victim’s family members were contacted and provided updates concerning the case. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office has positively identified the subject as James Howard Conklin, born 1950. Based on evidence gathered in the case, it is believed that Mr. Conklin, died sometime after May of 1988. Just prior to his death, it is believed that Mr. Conklin was homeless and had been seen in the Flagstaff Arizona area.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information concerning Mr. Conklin or the circumstances leading up to his death is asked to contact the Kane County Sheriff’s Office at 435-644-2349 or by email at comm@kane.utah.gov.
