Advertisement

Skull found by children playing in park given a face in renewed push to solve mystery

There is a new push to identify a mystery man whose skull was found at a reserve by playing children nearly two decades ago.

NSW Police have released artist’s impressions of what they believe the man, whose remains were found in Sydney’s St Helens Park in 2001, looked like.

Local children were playing at the reserve on Meredith Crescent when a boy stumbled across a partially buried skull. He took it home before his mother contacted police.

Police scoured the area and discovered the rest of the man’s skeleton. They also found several other items including a gold bracelet, spent .22 calibre casings and men’s clothing.

The skull the boy stumbled across while playing at the reserve. Source: NSW Police
The skull the boy stumbled across while playing at the reserve. Source: NSW Police
The man's skeleton was also recovered. Source: NSW Police
The man's skeleton was also recovered. Source: NSW Police

The bones were subject to anthropological analysis and various forensic examinations, and despite exhaustive inquiries and comparisons to missing persons cases from across the state, detectives were not able to identify the man at the time.

A 2004 coronial inquiry found that while the man could not be identified, the date, place, manner and cause of his death would remain undetermined.

It is believed he was aged between 35 and 45, and was likely buried between 1989 and 1993.

In the following years, detectives continued to conduct inquiries but weren’t able to confirm the man’s identity.

The artist's impression of the man with and without a beard. Source: NSW Police
The artist's impression of the man with and without a beard. Source: NSW Police

Police hope technological advances will help inquiry

Police picked up the case once again in 2017, sending the man’s bones to University of Waikato’s Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory in New Zealand.

They determined he had died between 1980 and 1985.

Utilising advancements in DNA testing, forensic experts were able to determine the man most likely had dark brown hair, brown eyes and was of mixed ancestry, most likely of South Asian and Middle Eastern descent.

The testing suggests he was about 170cm tall with a muscular build.

The reserve in St Helens Park where the man's remains were found. Source: NSW Police
The reserve in St Helens Park where the man's remains were found. Source: NSW Police

The Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee in Scotland have since created a facial reconstruction of the man, resulting in NSW Police making a new appeal for information about the man’s identity.

“The artist impressions give us a scientific estimation of what the man may have looked like and we believe this is our best chance to identify him and find his loved ones,” Detective Chief Inspector Greg Inger.

Detective Chief Inspector Inger added that Strike Force Tavoy is a multi-layered investigation and determining the man’s identity would likely provide additional lines of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death.

“The remains were examined by a forensic pathologist, anthropologist, and archaeologist, who were unable to find any markings or injuries which could suggest or indicate a potential cause of death,” Det Ch Insp Inger said.

Detectives urge anyone who has information about the identity of the man to come forward.

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.