DNA helps identify skeletal remains as missing Ottumwa man

By Ottumwa Courier, Iowa (TNS)

OTTUMWA — Nearly three years after a femur bone was recovered from the Des Moines River near Keosauqua, DNA evidence has confirmed it belongs to a missing Ottumwa man.

The Ottumwa Police Department and the Southeast Missouri State University team, in collaboration with Othram, identified the remains as those of Timothy William-Michal Fortney. Fortney had been reported missing in August 2019 by his mother, who had not seen him for over a year.

In February 2022, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office recovered the femur bone. Subsequent searches in the area yielded no additional evidence or remains. According to a press release from DNAsolves.com, traditional DNA extraction and testing were initially unsuccessful, and the remains were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System under the name Des Moines River John Doe.

Southeast Missouri State University, which had previously assisted in identifying the remains of Ottumwa teen Helen Groomes in a separate case, was requested to assist in this investigation. Groomes’ remains were identified earlier this year, more than 45 years after they were recovered from the Mississippi River near Elsberry, Missouri.

At Southeast Missouri State University, under the supervision of Drs. Jennifer Bengtson and Jim McGill, advanced Anthropology and Chemistry students applied non-destructive chemical analyses to assess the likelihood of DNA preservation. The necessary casework costs were covered by the university’s Anthropology department.

The forensic evidence was then submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas, for advanced DNA testing. Othram’s scientists developed a comprehensive DNA profile using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing, despite the highly degraded state of the DNA. The profile was compared to DNA samples from Fortney’s family members, ultimately confirming his identity.

At the time of his disappearance, Fortney was staying at the Ottumwa Residential Facility. His death remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottumwa Police Department Investigations Unit at (641) 683-0661.

(c)2024 the Ottumwa Courier (Ottumwa, Iowa)

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