Hoover Dam Remains Identified as Las Vegas Man Missing for 30 Years

After 15 years of painstaking investigation and advanced genetic testing, Arizona authorities confirmed this week that human remains discovered near the Hoover Dam in 2009 belong to William Herman Hietamaki, a Michigan-born man who had lived in Las Vegas.

Hoover Dam Discovery Ends 30-Year Search for Missing Michigan Man

When builders digging into Highway 93 near where Nevada meets Arizona stumbled upon Hietamaki’s remains, it wrapped up a really long hunt and gave his folks some peace after missing him for a solid 30 years, reported NBC News.

In November 2009, construction workers halted their tasks at Milepost 3 near the Hoover Dam and noticed some bones lying by the road. These remains turned out to be human. They were found with a couple of things linked to Hietamaki’s existence: a pair of faded blue jeans, a red T-shirt, a green sleeping bag, and one black sports shoe.

After finding these items, the National Park Service and Mohave County Sheriff’s team searched the area further. But even with all that digging, they could not figure out who the person. For a long time, nobody knew Hietamaki’s real name. The officials just called him “John Doe.”

The puzzle of Hietamaki’s remains stuck around until 2022 when the local law enforcement decided to chase his ID again. They sent a bone over to a DNA lab in Arizona and then to the Combined DNA Index System, crossing their fingers for a hit. They also requested assistance from researchers at the University of North Texas. They managed to extract some DNA but hit a brick wall. They could not match it to any person they knew. 

Advanced DNA Analysis Uncovers Identity of Man Missing Since 1995

Despite all of the setbacks, the search continued until April 2024, when forensic lab Othram received grant funding to perform an advanced genetic genealogy analysis. Using this method, they constructed a detailed DNA profile that was uploaded to a genealogy database, ultimately uncovering Hietamaki’s ancestral ties to Michigan. 

After digging deeper, the police chatted with Hietamaki’s brothers and sisters. They shared that the last time they saw him was back in 1995 during a family trip to New Mexico. Hietamaki was a free spirit known to have lived in Las Vegas for a bit and loved roaming around the Southwest. Everyone knew him as the guy who would hitch rides and not stay put.

His epileptic condition, which added to the complexity of his lifestyle, left unanswered questions regarding his exact time and cause of death. The team at the medical examiner’s office figured he must have passed away sometime between 2006 and 2008, but they could not pin down the exact cause since his remains were in pretty bad shape.

Hietamaki’s identification reflects the growing role of genetic genealogy in solving cold cases, especially when traditional forensic methods fail to yield results. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office credited Othram’s efforts and resources as critical in providing the long-awaited answers for Hietamaki’s family.