A man found frozen in a Pennsylvania cave has finally been identified, ending a nearly 50-year-old mystery.
The Berks County Coroner's Office has identified the remains of the missing man as Nicholas Paul Grubb, 27, of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
Grubb has long been known as the “Pinnacle Man,” a name given in reference to the Appalachian mountain peak where two climbers found his body on January 16, 1977.
An autopsy at the time found no signs of foul play, and authorities said his death was caused by a drug overdose. New York Times report.
However, they were unable to identify Grubb's body from information on his appearance, belongings, clothing, or teeth – and fingerprints collected during the examination were later lost, leaving investigators with nothing more than a sketch of him resembling his own.
Burke County Coroner John Fielding told reporters that “state police detectives and coroner's office investigators” had reviewed the case periodically over the past 15 years, comparing their information “to at least 10 missing persons through fingerprints and dental X-rays.”
In August 2019, Grubb's body was exhumed after dental records revealed she had ties to two missing persons cases in Florida and Illinois, and she was taken to Reading Hospital, where she was examined by a forensic anthropologist, forensic pathologist, and forensic odontologist.
Although the DNA samples did not match any missing person cases, in August of this year Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Ian Keck found Grubb's missing fingerprints.
Within an hour of submitting the card to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMU), an FBI fingerprint expert matched the print to Grubb's.
A family member confirmed his identity, and requested the Burke County Coroner's Office bury his remains in the family plot.
“This recognition brings long-awaited resolution to his family, who have been informed and have expressed their deep appreciation for the collective efforts that made this possible,” Fielding said.
“Moments like these remind us of the importance of our work to provide answers, bring solutions and give names and stories to the unknown.”