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Remains Found in 2009 Identified as Michigan Man

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Remains found in 2009 ID’d as Michigan man

Authorities have confirmed the identity of human remains discovered near the Hoover Dam in 2009 as belonging to William Herman Hietamaki, a man from Michigan. This long-standing investigation has finally reached a conclusion after years of uncertainty.

The remains were initially uncovered on November 11, 2009, by construction workers on a break from a highway project along Highway 93. They stumbled upon bones near Milepost 3, which prompted a subsequent search that revealed additional items, including clothing and a sleeping bag. Despite extensive investigative efforts, the identity of the deceased remained elusive.

A significant breakthrough occurred in 2022 when a detective sent a bone sample to the Arizona Department of Public Safety lab and the University of North Texas for DNA analysis. In April, Othram Inc., utilizing grant funding, performed forensic genetic genealogy. This analysis produced a DNA profile that ultimately connected investigators with Hietamaki’s living relatives, confirming his identity.

Born in 1950 in Trout Creek, Michigan, Hietamaki led a wandering lifestyle, often hitchhiking across the United States and occasionally staying in Las Vegas. Family records indicate he was last seen in 1995 when he visited his sister in New Mexico. Notably, he had a history of epileptic seizures, as documented in public records.

While the Mohave County Medical Examiner was unable to ascertain the cause of death due to the remains’ degraded condition, investigators estimate Hietamaki died sometime between 2006 and 2008.

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