Southwest
Remains identified as Vietnam veteran nearly 50 years after farmers chasing pig stumbled upon skeleton
Skeletal remains discovered nearly five decades ago in Arizona have been identified as a Vietnam veteran from Minnesota, authorities said Wednesday.
The remains of Gerald Francis Long were first found 40 miles east of Flagstaff off Meteor City Road on April 19, 1975, by farmers chasing a runaway pig, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said.
Over 49 years, detectives developed numerous leads but were never able to put a name to the victim, who became known as Munsingwear Doe for the Munsingwear brand jacket found with the remains.
In August 2023, the sheriff’s office turned to forensic genetic genealogy, working with Intermountain Forensics of Salt Lake City, Utah. Scientists developed a genetic genealogy DNA profile of the victim and compared it with existing profiles available in genealogy databases.
MORE THAN 50-YEAR-OLD NEW YORK CITY COLD CASE VICTIM IDENTIFIED AFTER DNA MATCHED WITH 9/11 VICTIM
Long enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1969 and deployed to Vietnam later that year, the sheriff’s office said. (Coconino County Sheriff’s Office )
Forensic investigators identified a potential family line, and by February found Long to be a possible match for the remains.
Detectives contacted one of Long’s surviving family members and learned he had served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam, the sheriff’s office said. Long enlisted in January 1969 and deployed later that year.
An early release from the sheriff’s office asking for help in identifying the remains. Long’s cause of death was not determined in 1975 and remains unknown today, the sheriff’s office said. (Coconino County Sheriff’s Office )
The family member said Long returned to Minnesota in February 1972 and was discharged from the Army a month later. Long was last seen or heard from in October 1972 when he told his family that he was leaving Minnesota for the West Coast.
Long returned to Minnesota in February 1972 and was discharged from the Army a month later. In October 1972, Long told his family that he was leaving Minnesota for the West Coast. It was the last time they saw or heard from him, the sheriff’s office said. (Coconino County Sheriff’s Office )
With this new information, the FBI Laboratory’s Latent Print Unit was able to compare partial fingerprints collected from the remains in 1975 to known fingerprint records belonging to Long. The test showed a positive match.
VIETNAM VETERAN REUNITED WITH LOST DOG TAG AFTER 56 YEARS: ‘I DIDN’T BELIEVE IT’
DNA collected from Long’s family and compared with those from the remains also proved to be a match.
While the identity of Munsingwear Doe was finally uncovered, the cause of Long’s death was unable to be determined in 1975 and remains unknown today.
CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“The Sheriff’s Office offers its deepest condolences to Mr. Long’s family, who have requested privacy at this time,” the sheriff’s office said.
Read the full article from Here
The star-studded feel-good giveback event of the summer has returned. KTLA 5 is teaming up once again with Project Angel Food for the annual “Lead with Love: Going the Distance” telethon to raise critical funds for medically tailored meals delivered to people living with serious illnesses throughout Los Angeles County. The seventh annual telethon airs […]
A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
-
A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
-
California4 minutes agoCalifornia Central Valley city’s first-ever Pride event moves indoors after pushback
-
Arkansas6 minutes agoFrom the Senate to the Attorney General’s Office, Gilmore’s exit opens District 1 seat
-
Colorado14 minutes agoSee the list of this year’s Fourth of July professional fireworks shows in the Denver area
-
Connecticut21 minutes ago
Newly released video shows Connecticut prison officers striking inmate before he died
-
Delaware24 minutes agoAnnual Delaware River Sojourn honors the nation’s 250th anniversary
-
Florida29 minutes agoFlorida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for June 26, 2026
-
Georgia36 minutes ago
Georgia Lottery Mega Millions, Cash 3 results for June 26, 2026
-
Hawaii39 minutes agoPolice recover 19 gaming machines, $7K in Kakaako gambling bust
