Body Of Decapitated And Handless Man Is Identified After More Than 50 Years

More than 5 decades aft a headless and handless assemblage was discovered on a desolate agelong of roadworthy successful upstate New York, advances successful DNA exertion person yet fixed him a sanction - but nan slayer remains unknown.

New York State Police announced Friday that remains recovered connected March 20, 1970, connected Davis Hill Road successful Andover person been identified arsenic Clyde A. Coppage.

The gruesome find near investigators astatine nan clip pinch fewer clues. The corpse had nary head, hands, clothing aliases immoderate different items to place him by, Trooper James O’Callaghan said Friday astatine a property conference.

Coppage was 35 years aged and surviving successful Genesee, Pennsylvania, astatine nan clip of his disappearance. He was ne'er reported missing, further complicating efforts to place him, constabulary said.

“Over nan people of astir 56 years, investigating members of nan New York State Police continued to way down each lead, but nan personality of nan antheral remained unknown,” New York State Police said.

The lawsuit remained acold for years owed to limitations successful DNA technology, O’Callaghan said. In June 2022, nan investigation saw renewed momentum erstwhile authorities exhumed nan assemblage to get a DNA profile.

State Police, moving pinch nan FBI, relied connected DNA study to place nan assemblage arsenic Coppage. He was identified February 27.

Genesee, Pennsylvania is astir 27 miles southbound of wherever Coppage’s assemblage was found. Investigators judge Coppage was killed and dismembered elsewhere earlier his assemblage was dumped on nan agrarian roadway, according to O’Callaghan, who said to nan Albany Times Union.

O’Callaghan besides told nan outlet that Coppage worked for Kodak successful nan Rochester area and was joined pinch children erstwhile he disappeared. It’s unclear why his family did not study him missing.

Investigators person interviewed his wife, who is now successful her precocious 80s, but O’Callaghan declined to springiness immoderate much details.

State Police person not revealed Coppage’s origin of death.

“The investigation into nan decease of Coppage remains unfastened and active,” nan merchandise stated.

Authorities are urging anyone pinch accusation astir Coppage aliases nan circumstances surrounding his decease to interaction nan New York State Police astatine 585-344-6200.