Northeast
Mysterious bones that washed up on Jersey Shore finally identified 180 years after tragedy
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Bones that mysteriously washed up on the Jersey Shore over the past three decades were recently identified, thanks to cutting-edge technology and diligent students.
Ramapo College announced the discovery in a May 21 press release. The remains were identified as belonging to Henry Goodsell, a captain who died in an 1844 shipwreck off the coast of South Jersey’s Brigantine Shoal. (See the video at the top of this article.)
The ship was carrying 60 tons of marble for Girard College, a preparatory school, when it sprung a leak and sank.
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Goodsell’s bones didn’t wash up until over a century later, when they were found on various beaches in the Garden State.
“A skull washed ashore in Longport in 1995, and more bones were found in Margate in 1999, both in Atlantic County,” Ramapo College’s statement noted. “In 2013, additional remains were found in Ocean City, Cape May County.”
Experts recently identified bones that washed ashore on several New Jersey beaches over the past three decades. (Getty Images; New Jersey State Police)
“Scattered Man John Doe went without a name for 30 years since traditional methods of investigation could not deliver an identification.”
Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center, told Fox News Digital that her team conducted traditional DNA testing to find a matching profile in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national DNA profile database.
“More identifications like these will be made now that we have advances in technology.”
“While there was no missing person sample on file that matched with the profiles from the bones, the bones all matched one another, so that’s how [the New Jersey State Police] learned they were all connected before we began working on the case,” she said.
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Over the past several months, Ramapo students have gleaned various details about Goodsell’s life from old newspapers.
He was 29 years old when he died, and his ancestors were among the earliest settlers in Connecticut.
Henry Goodsell’s remains were known as Scattered Man John Doe until the recent discovery. (New Jersey State Police)
“Capt. Goodsell’s ancestors lived in Litchfield and Fairfield Counties in Connecticut and had all been there since the 1600s – some of the earliest European Americans,” Binder said.
“He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but lived in Boston from at least the late 1830s.”
Goodsell also left behind a wife and two children when he perished; his family was financially devastated by the shipwreck.
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“The news reported that his family was left in ‘very embarrassed’ circumstances after the captain’s death,” Binder said.
“There was a fundraiser held for Capt. Goodsell’s widow a year after his death,” she also said. Reports were that “she was destitute.”
Students were able to learn about Goodsell’s life and his “untimely fate” from various 19th-century newspapers. (Ramapo College of New Jersey)
Five or six other crew members were on the vessel, Binder noted, and all of them are believed to have died.
One was found and buried while the others were lost at sea.
Binder described the discovery as “extremely rare,” noting that Ramapo researchers have not been able to find an older case where IGG was used to successfully identify remains.
“There are a handful of cases where remains more than 100 years old have been identified with IGG, but this is the oldest we have been able to find,” she said.
“We believe that more identifications like these will be made now that we have the advances in technology to make them happen,” she added.
Archival documents helped point Ramapo College students in the right direction during their research. (Ramapo College of New Jersey)
Authorities from various New Jersey law enforcement offices were also involved in the research.
In a statement, Cape May County prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said the same technology is used to “bring offenders to justice.”
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“The hard work of Ramapo College’s IGG Center and working with the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit has demonstrated the power and accuracy of this new technology combined with classic detective work in solving complex cold cases that will bring offenders to justice and provide closure to victims’ families,” he noted.
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The email is sitting in my inbox like a countdown clock: $5,000 due to secure my surgery date. Another $7,000 required on the day of the procedure. Before even getting there, I had already paid $800 just for a consultation and thousands more from emergency room visits, trying to manage the pain.
As a college student in a single-parent household, these costs are not just overwhelming; they are destabilizing. For my family, this isn’t just a medical decision; it’s a financial crisis that affects bills, groceries, and basic stability.
This isn’t an unusual story; it’s what accessing healthcare looks like for too many people in Connecticut today. When the cost of care becomes this overwhelming, patients are forced to make impossible choices: delay treatment, go into debt, or simply go without.
This is why Connecticut lawmakers must pass SB3: An Act Concerning Health Care Affordability. The bill directly addresses one of the most urgent public health issues in our state: the rising cost of healthcare and the barriers it creates for everyday citizens. SB3 is not just a general attempt to “lower costs.” It proposes specific, actionable solutions.
The bill would establish a Connecticut Affordable Health Care Trust Fund to stabilize costs and protect residents from rising premiums, particularly as federal subsidies become uncertain. It also includes a “Connecticut Option” program designed to expand access to more affordable insurance coverage and, in the short term, replace federal premium subsidies for many residents earning up to 600% of the federal poverty level.
Healthcare affordability is not just an economic issue; it is a public health crisis. According to a report from theKaiser Family Foundation, nearly half of U.S. adults report difficulty affording healthcare, and many delay or skip necessary services as a result. These delays can lead to worsening conditions, more emergency visits, and higher long-term costs for both patients and the healthcare system. In my case, postponing treatment for endometriosis only led to repeated ER visits, each one adding to the financial and physical burden.
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Ella Nocera-DeJulioConnecticut is not immune to these trends. Reports show that residents across the state, especially those with low and moderate incomes, struggle with high premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. Even those with insurance often face significant financial barriers when seeking care. This reality contradicts the very purpose of a healthcare system: to provide timely, effective treatment without causing financial harm.
Some critics argue that bills like SB3 could increase government spending or place additional strain on healthcare providers. Others question whether it goes far enough, pointing out gaps in coverage, such as limited inclusion of certain populations. These concerns deserve attention, but they do not outweigh the urgency of the problem. In fact, SB3 is designed as both a short-term solution to stabilize costs and a long-term framework to explore broader reforms.
Passing SB3 would help more than just individual patients. When people can afford regular checkups and early treatment, long-term illnesses are easier to manage, fewer people end up in the emergency room, and healthcare costs go down overall. This leads to healthier communities and a better-functioning healthcare system. In simpler terms, making healthcare more affordable isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also a smart decision.
My experience is just one example, but it reflects a much larger issue affecting communities across Connecticut. No one should have to delay a necessary surgery or accumulate thousands of dollars in debt just to receive basic medical care. Healthcare shouldn’t be something only available to people who can afford it, but a basic right supported by strong and effective policies.
Connecticut has a real chance to fix a system that is clearly not working for many people. Passing SB3 would help lower costs and make it easier for residents to get the care they need without financial stress. It’s time for lawmakers to take action and make healthcare more affordable and accessible for everyone.
Ella Nocera-DeJulio is a sophomore at Sacred Heart University, majoring in Health Sciences, concentrating in Occupational Therapy.
Anne Theresa Tarling
SANFORD – Anne Theresa Tarling, 74, of Sanford, Maine passed away peacefully at home on April 23, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. While our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing she lived a full and beautiful life rooted in love, creativity, and devotion to the people who meant the most to her.
Anne was born on April 3, 1952, in Portland, Maine, to the late Joseph and Blanche Morin. She grew up in Portland and graduated from Deering High School in 1970.
In 1980, Anne married the love of her life, Ernest Tarling. Together they built a life centered on family, laughter, and partnership. Their 45 years of marriage were filled with shared memories and a deep commitment to one another and to their family.
Anne was a talented self-taught artist who found great joy in painting and sharing her creativity with others. She proudly exhibited her work at local art shows and specialty shops, and her paintings found their way into homes near and far. Her art brought beauty and comfort to many and will continue to remind us of her for years to come.
She also enjoyed gardening, sailing the coast of Maine, and hosting family gatherings. She was known for her famous chocolate chip cookies and for never missing a birthday or special occasion.
Being a devoted Nana brought her great joy, and she cherished time spent with her family above all else.
In addition to her parents, Anne was preceded in death by her brother, Stephen Morin; her sister, Julie Pochebit, her brother-in-law, Daniel Desmond; nieces Elizabeth McKee and Alison Pochebit.
She is survived by her brother, Paul (Sue Ellen) Morin, two sisters, Cheryl Desmond and Celine (Stephen) Pochebit; her husband of 45 years, Ernest Tarling; her son, Greg (Karen) Flagg, her four daughters, Jennifer Copper, Rebecca (Frank) Zavadil, Stefenie (Matthew) Burdick, and Kendra (Justin) Dowling; her 11 grandchildren, Cody, Matthew, Jackson, Gracey, Lucas, Quinn, Beau, Shea, Ellie, Will, and Stevie; a large extended family, including many loving nieces and nephews; and her longtime best friend, Sandy Hobbs.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, May 2, at 11 a.m. at St. Martha Church, 30 Portland Road, Kennebunk, Maine, followed by a celebration of life at 12:30 p.m. at For the Love of Food + Drink at Saltwater Farm, 411 Post Road, Wells, Maine.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Anne’s Book of Memories Page at http://www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in the care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043.
A mother charged with two counts of murder after the deaths of her two young children agreed Monday in Rutland County Superior Court to be transferred to Massachusetts, where she will face the charges.
The Massachusetts State Police have charged Janette MacAusland, 49, with murdering her two children, ages 6 and 7, after they were found dead at their home in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Friday.
According to a Bennington police press release, MacAusland arrived at a relative’s home in Vermont on Friday night with a neck injury, bleeding and appearing “highly distraught.”
The relatives called the Bennington police, who then prompted police in Wellesley, Massachusetts, to check on MacAusland’s children. Both were found dead. No details have been released about the cause or manner of death.
The Bennington Police Department arrested MacAusland and took her to Marble Valley Correctional Facility in Rutland, where she has been held without bail.
Appearing virtually in court Monday, MacAusland agreed to waive her right to a hearing and be immediately transferred back to Norfolk County in Massachusetts.
“She’s decided that the best thing is to get back to Massachusetts as soon as possible and address these charges,” Jeff Rubin, her attorney, said at the hearing.
The children’s deaths follow a custody battle between MacAusland and her former husband, according to the Associated Press. MacAusland’s husband filed for divorce in October after nine years of marriage and sought custody of the children and family home.
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