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Dynamic Duo Solves Cold Case Murder
A John Doe found in Tennessee had no identity for three decades, until two amateur sleuths stepped in.
It was a cold case that had perplexed investigators for almost 40 years: the man clad in expensive clothes who had been found murdered in a creek in Tennessee back in 1985 and never identified or claimed.
Now, police and the man’s family know his name — and they have a couple of so-called armchair detectives to thank for being able to send him home. This is the story of the murder of Donald Boardman.
His last trip
Donald was from Chamblee in Georgia, and it seemed things were looking up for him career-wise in November of 1985. He had just started a new job for a design company and purchased a new Chevrolet Camaro Z28, and he planned to use it to visit a health food show in Atlanta before heading to visit his parents in Florida for Thanksgiving.
According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Donald’s father Harry had spoken to him the night of November 16th 1985 and was looking forward to seeing his ambitious young son for the upcoming holiday. However, that excited anticipation turned to anxiety when Donald’s employer called three days later to say Donald hadn’t shown up for work.