Episode 107 Doe: ID Jeffrey Kimzey

Victim Jeffery Kimzey

Sketch of suspect in Kimzey murder

On April 15, 1997, a young boy in Union Grove, Alabama decided to skip school and go fishing at his favorite spot off of Eagle Rock Drive. When he got to his spot, he made a gruesome discovery. He found a decomposing body in the water, and raced home to tell his parents. Police responded to the scene, and when they retrieved the body from the water, the gruesome find became even more shocking. The body, which belonged to a man, had been mutilated. His hands, feet, and head had been removed. In addition, his heart had also been taken. It was believed that he had been shot or stabbed to death. There was no ID with the body, and in the days before DNA, there wasn't much that the authorities could do to identify the man. Their best guess was that he was a White male between 20 and 30 years old, who weighed about 150 pounds and was five feet, nine inches tall. Since police had no missing men in that area who fit that description, they believed he was traveling through the area, and not a local. Their only clues were a bunch of air fresheners found close to the victim, and an eyewitness who spotted a very distinct truck in the area before the body was found. 

As time passed and DNA Science evolved, investigators had a sketch created based on the victim's DNA makeup. They released it hoping someone would recognize him, but no one did, which further backed up their belief that he was not local. Eventually, genealogy would provide John Doe's real name; it was Jeffrey Douglas Kimzey. He was from Santa Barbara, CA. He was 20 years old at the time he was killed. Police now know his name, and now they are trying to figure out who killed him, and what brought him to Alabama. The investigation continues.

This John Doe finally has his name back; it's Jeffrey Kimzey, and this is his story. 

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