HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A 39-year-old cold case regarding the identity of a dead man who shot himself has been solved, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives discovered the man who they said died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot to his head on May 24, 1985.
The man, now identified as Charles Allen Ray, was found near Adamsville Road in Gibsonton, north of Big Bend Road. Authorities say he was born in 1936 and was an honorable veteran of the United States Navy.
The sheriff's office says investigators found a possible link to Ray's family through meticulous genealogical research and a partnership with Othram Lab. Further research showed Roy as a missing family member whose disappearance in the mid-1980s had no digital footprint for almost 40 years.
Detectives traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee in January 2024, where they met with a family member of Roy's and matched his DNA with the decedent's from 1985.
"The resolution of this cold case is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of our investigators and the advancements in forensic technology," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "We are committed to bringing justice and closure to the families affected by unsolved cases, no matter how much time has passed."