The Alaska State Troopers have already identified the remains found in 1997 near the Alaska and Canada border, where a hunter found a skull near the Porcupine River. This answers the nearly 30-year-old mystery of the skull, and after the research to identify the person, the Alaskan agency claimed that he was a New Yorker.
The mysterious skull's remains now close the book on this case, centering on a bear attack that led to this New York man's death in the late 1990s.
Alaska: Skull Found in 1997 Identified as a New York Man
(Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
The Matanuska Glacier, a 27-mile (43.5kms) long valley glacier feeding water into the Matanuska River, on July 10, 2022, about 100 miles (161kms) northeast of Anchorage near Palmer, Alaska.
According to a report by AP News, a skull from 1997 found by a hunter was recently studied by the Alaska State Troopers to learn more about who they are and where it came from to close the book on this case. They identified the person as Gary Frank Sotherden, a man from New York who was the victim of a bear attack in the Alaskan region.
Sotherden was reported missing in the 1970s, and no further information was given regarding who he is and what he does. It was only said that he was formerly from the Big Apple state.
Moreover, he was found near the banks of the Porcupine River in Alaska, 8 miles from the Alaska-Canada border, by a hunter in 1997 who relayed it to the troopers.
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Genetic Genealogy Used in Identifying the Lone Skull
The method used by the State Troopers was Genetic Genealogy. According to Medline Plus, this is a way of looking into a person's DNA and genetics to learn more about their family ancestry and identities. With the help of technology, the researchers could identify the person from New York and trace it back to him despite being missing for more than five decades.
Using Technology to Identify Ancient Remains
Technology has proved to be a vital tool in helping researchers learn more about the past, and modern resources have already helped a lot with the world's needs. One iconic study was with Malaysia's Penang Woman, whose remains were found in 2017.
Researchers used facial reconstruction technology to know her looks and identify her heritage, with claims that she lived through the Neolithic Stone age in her lifetime.
There are ways to preserve certain artifacts or skeletons from the past, but it also allows researchers to learn more about what is inside using contemporary tools to uncover remains. A "Golden Boy" mummy from Egypt was recently the center of the study where radiologists helped scan its remains and look at what is inside without invasive procedures for their probe.
Discoveries in the past are given another chance for their identification and commemoration using the world's technological development, now centering on learning more about what happened and who they are. The remains of Gary Frank Sotherden and his unfortunate end are now given a rest, thanks to the efforts of the Alaska State Troopers.
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