The Discovery of Unidentified Remains

• 💡 In 1983, four victims were found murdered by serial killer Larry Eer on a farm in Newton County, Indiana.
• 🎯 Coroner Scott McCord, elected in 2008, discovered two boxes containing skeletal remains of unidentified victims, referred to as Victim 3 and Victim 4.
• 🧠 Frustrated by the lack of care, McCord took it upon himself to identify these individuals, naming them Adam and Brad to humanize them.
• 🚀 McCord and his daughter created flyers with composite sketches and canvassed the surrounding areas, seeking any information.

Identifying John Doe 'Brad'

• 🔍 After seven years without leads, McCord held a funeral for the victims and placed their remains respectfully in a mausoleum.
• ✨ A breakthrough occurred when the DNA Doe Project successfully identified 'Brad' using genetic genealogy, matching his DNA to a database.
• 🤝 'Brad Doe' was identified as John Brandenberg Jr., and his mother expressed profound gratitude for his return after 37.5 years.

The Challenge of Identifying Adam Doe

• ⚠️ Identifying 'Adam Doe' proved significantly more challenging due to severe contamination of his remains by environmental microbes, leaving only about 5% human DNA.
• 🔬 Dr. Kelly Harkins Concincaid of Astro Forensics attempted a novel, labor-intensive cleaning process to isolate human DNA, increasing it to nearly 80%.
• 🗺️ Kathleen Zelner, Larry Eer's former attorney, obtained a handwritten confession from him detailing 21 murders, including critical information about his methods and victimology.
• 🕵️‍♀️ Zelner's confession revealed Eer targeted individuals he assumed wouldn't be searched for, including some gay men, to evade detection.

Tracing Adam Doe's Identity

• 🔗 The DNA Doe Project team, including genealogists Janelle Daniels and Rebecca, focused on tracing Adam's family tree, identifying Lula Maxi from Arkansas as a potential great-grandmother.
• 💡 A significant hurdle was a branch of the family whose records disappeared after 1950, later discovered to be due to name changes, likely for religious reasons, as they converted to Islam.
• 🔎 The team found Tariq Elamine, a descendant who had posted his family tree online, living in Chicago, a key detail given Eer's confession of picking up Adam near Chicago.
• ✅ DNA testing confirmed that Tariq's cousin, Ikra, was Adam Doe's brother, and Adam's birth name was Keith Lavel Bibs, later changed to K Bismah.

Honoring Keith Lavel Bibs (Adam Doe)

• 💔 Keith, murdered at 15, was described by his sisters as a protector and adventurer who often ran away from a strict lifestyle, leading his family to initially not report him missing for two months.
• 🕊️ His family believes authorities did not prioritize the case because he was a young black male, a vulnerability Eer exploited.
• 🌟 Keith was finally laid to rest with his mother, bringing closure to a family tormented by his disappearance for 40 years.
• 🤝 The DNA Doe Project's work provided dignity, identity, and closure, a miracle for families who had lost loved ones decades ago.