It’s the early morning hours of June 8, 1978, in Houston. Somewhere in the city, a man’s life is slipping away, and by the time he’s brought to Ben Taub Hospital, it’s already too late.
He’s gone. The individuals who dropped him off—whoever they are—don’t stick around. They vanish as quickly as they came, leaving behind only a lifeless body and a flood of questions.
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Who was this man? What happened to him? And why has no one come forward to claim him in the 46 years since that night?
We know this much: the young man was likely between 25 and 35 years old. He was 5′3″, weighed 130 pounds, and had strikingly long 11-inch black hair and brown eyes. On his left forearm was a 3-inch scar—a detail that might have once told a story, but now stands as just another unanswered question.
He carried no personal items to give us clues about his life. The only tool investigators had to identify him? His fingerprints.
It’s unclear how long he’d been in trouble before he was brought to the hospital, but the medical examiner believes he had died just hours earlier.
His face had signs of injuries, suggesting something violent may have happened—an accident? An assault? Or perhaps something darker? But with no witnesses and no one stepping forward, we’re left only to speculate.
The people who left him at the hospital remain unknown. Did they mean to help? Or were they trying to absolve themselves of guilt? Did they know him? Were they afraid of being questioned or charged? The only certainty is this: they left him without a name and without justice.
Over the years, forensic scientists have tried to piece together his story. His case—Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences Case #U0411002—remains open.
A recognizable photo and a reconstruction of his face have circulated in the hopes someone will recognize him, but the results have been silent.
Investigators suspect he may have been someone’s brother, son, or friend. Someone must have missed him or wondered why he didn’t come home. But for over four decades, no one has come forward.
If you recognize this man or have any information about his story, please call (832) 927-5000, and reference Agency Case #U0411002.
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