Cold Cases: Since 2000, These 35 Unidentified People Were Found Dead in NJ
More than 35 unidentified people have been found dead in New Jersey since the year 2000.
These fatalities range from infants that were only a matter of days old to adults that were well into their 50s and 60s.
Their bodies were found along the side of a road, in wooded areas, or in water.
Some cases have a good amount of information to go on while others have practically no details.
Regardless of the circumstances, authorities are still trying to find out who these people are.
How to help
Officials with the New Jersey State Police would like to hear from you if any of these sketches or details jar any memories.
If you have any information about the cases listed below, you are asked to call (800) 709-7090.
Notes
- Due to a large number of unidentified deceased people found in Hudson and Essex Counties over the years, those areas will be covered separately in the future.
- Some of the details provided below are graphic while the pictures are not. If authorities are offering more explicit images, links are provided and caution is noted.
Mercer County - July 20, 2011
A deceased male was reported to the Hamilton Twp. (Mercer) Police Department in a wooded area off South Broad Street near the I-295 overpass. This area is frequented by homeless individuals and transients.
He was estimated to have been born between 1946 and 1966. He was about 5' 9" tall, around 160 pounds, with black hair.
He was wearing plaid (navy, white, and red) pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt. He was also wearing blue medical/surgical-type shoes with two Velcro straps. He was also in possession of a gold ring and designer watch (photos available).
Gloucester County - December 31, 2008
Skeletal remains were recovered along the shore of the Delaware River in Greenwich Township.
When he was found, the unidentified man was wearing a 2XL blue Harbor Bay windbreaker, a maroon long-sleeve Signet Sports shirt with the word "Maine" and a picture of a sailing ship embroidered on the front, a white thermal shirt, black Dickies pants, black socks, and black Reebok brand sneakers (size 10 ½).
Authorities estimate he was born between 1953 and 1973, was about 5' 8" tall, and around 180 pounds. He had a healed fractured nose.
Police say he may have died at the beginning of 2007.
Monmouth County - July 28, 2008
An unidentified male was found washed up on the beach in Long Branch.
The man, possibly Hispanic, was born between 1978 and 1988, according to police. He was about 6' tall, about 140 to 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He had two moles on the left side of his face at the angle of the mouth. He also had stubble on his face.
Monmouth County - June 15, 2008
An unidentified female was struck by a New Jersey Transit train in Brielle.
She was estimated to have been born between 1968 and 1988. She was about 5' 5" tall, around 120 pounds, with a scar on her right abdomen approximately 2 1/4" long, indicating a possible appendectomy, a scar on her left hand, and a scar on her right hand.
The unidentified female was wearing a red sweatshirt, a white t-shirt on top of the red sweatshirt, a white partial button down shirt that was wrapped around her waist, light green underwear, white socks, white Adidas brand sneakers with 3 black stripes. In her possession was a brown tote bag with the words New York . . . . Inside the tote bag was a blue sweatshirt with a winter scene (snow covered trees and a cardinal)...black jeans with a zipper on the left and right side of the waist, a sun hat with blue flowers, a black/white bandana, and blue/yellow scarf with yellow flowers. The tote bag also had a toothbrush, cap, lighter, and area maps.
She was wearing a blue rosary bead-type necklace with a cross and a wooden bracelet with religious icons/saints on it.
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Middlesex County - February 14, 2008
- Photo/sketch not provided
The partial skeletal remains of an unidentified female were recovered in a wooded area in Old Bridge.
Her estimated range of birth was 1962 to 1972, she was about 5' 5" tall, 125 pounds, with brown hair.
According to authorities, she had a healed fractured area of the left nasal bone (nose).
Ocean County - February 3, 2008
- Photo/sketch not provided
A lower jaw with teeth was recovered on the beach in Long Beach Township.
No other information was provided by authorities.
Atlantic County - August 28, 2006
- Photo of the victim is available on the NJ State Police website (caution is advised).
The body of an unidentified white male was recovered in Atlantic City.
Police say he was likely born between 1950 and 1965. He was around 6' tall, weighed around 165 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and had a scar on his chin.
When found, he was wearing a green Tommy Hilfiger jacket, a grey t-shirt, black jeans, brown socks, and white Reebok sneakers. The victim was also carrying a black leather fanny pack.
Union County - November 2, 2005
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a white male was found in Elizabeth.
He was estimated to be born between 1970 and 1985. Authorities say he was about 5' 6" tall with no scars, marks, or tattoos. The victim was wearing a belt with a soccer player belt buckle.
Mercer County - June 23, 2005
- Photo/sketch not provided
A male victim was found in Trenton.
Limited information is available: he was about 5' 10" tall and around 140 pounds. He was found wearing a disconnected tan jogging suit jacket, black jogging pants, and white sneakers.
Monmouth County - June 19, 2005
The victim's body was found in an irrigation pond in Millstone Township.
His estimated years of birth were from 1965 to 1975. He was about 5' 5", 130 pounds, with brown hair. The victim was found wearing jeans and other additional unknown clothing.
Additional Clothing and Schwinn Bicycle were found near the body. There was a comb and a key ring found in the victim's pocket. He is possibly Hispanic. It is also possible that he retained primary root between upper and central incisors.
Cape May County - May 28, 2005
- Photo/sketch not provided
A lower mandible (jaw) was found on the beach at 21st Street in Avalon.
No further information was available from police.
Atlantic County - November 2, 2004
- Photo of the victim is available on the NJ State Police website (caution is advised).
The body of a Black female was found in Atlantic City.
Authorities say she was likely born in the 1940s, was about 5' 6" tall, weighed around 220 pounds, with grey hair and brown eyes.
Burlington County - October 26, 2004
The victim, possibly an Asian, Hispanic, or Native American woman, was found in a wooded area by Malibu Grand Prix in Mount Laurel by construction workers in the area.
She was born sometime between 1968 and 1978, was 5' 1" to 5' 5" tall, around 120 pounds, with black hair and black or brown eyes.
The victim was wearing a leopard-print scarf, vinyl/leather jacket, two blouses, Hilfiger jeans/shorts/skirt, white Nike youth sneakers (size 5), pantyhose, panties, and a black bra.
Police say the victim was carrying a black pocketbook when she was found, which contained a package of Kleenex tissues.
Middlesex County - September 8, 2004
- Photo/sketch not provided
The victim was found in South Brunswick.
The Asian male was estimated to have been born between 1959 and 1974. He was about 5' 3" tall with black hair.
The victim was wearing underwear. Brown pants and a yellow patterned shirt were found in the shipping container but were not on the body.
Gloucester County - March 2, 2004
A female victim's body was found in Logan Township on March 2, 2004.
The body was partially clothed, wearing a teal "Forever 21" purple and yellow striped shirt (size 0) and black capri pants.
The victim had long hair with light-colored streaks, pink/purple fingernail polish, and brown nail polish on her toenails.
Authorities believe she was born between 1974 and 1986. She was about 5' tall, 80 to 110 pounds, with black hair, and brown eyes.
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Atlantic County - February 17, 2004
An unidentified white male was found off Route 30 in Absecon.
Police say his upper left central incisor tooth is rotated and overlaps the upper right central incisor tooth.
He was 25 to 35 years old, about 5' 10" tall, 150 to 200 pounds, with black hair.
The reconstruction is not an exact facial likeness of the victim. They are approximations based on the skeletal anatomy of the victim.
Atlantic County - January 17, 2004
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of an infant washed up in Atlantic County.
Authorities believe she was born that year.
Atlantic County - August 28, 2003
- Photo/sketch not provided
Authorities say a white male was a victim of a pedestrian accident in Atlantic City.
He was born between 1968 and 1976. He was around 5' 5" tall, about 140 pounds, with black hair, and brown eyes. The victim had scars on his upper right arm, left hand, and left knee, and was wearing a watch.
According to police, "There is a possibility that the victim was Hispanic. He had a black mustache and black chin hair. He had atypical antibodies in his blood."
Ocean County - June 19, 2003
- Photo/sketch not provided
A left foot was found 21 miles off of the coast of Ocean County.
Authorities believe the foot of a man was born between 1979 and 1983 and he may have died or lost that foot the year prior.
The foot was contained in a white sock with a red and blue stripe and the number 24 and "Gordon" stitched into it.
Atlantic County - April 14, 2003
- Photo of the victim is available on the NJ State Police website (caution is advised).
The victim, in his 40s or 50s, was found dead in an alley in Atlantic City.
Authorities say he had long dark brown and gray hair and a long beard. The victim was known by a Hispanic street name meaning "beggar."
When found, he was wearing a light blue denim zippered jacket, gray sweater with blue stripes, a multicolor flannel shirt, a blue corduroy shirt, black pants, white sneakers, and white socks.
Atlantic County - April 13, 2003
- Photo/sketch not provided
A cranium was recovered in Atlantic County.
The victim, a male, was born between 1966 and 1983.
Per police, "there was no lower jaw present. Teeth 1 and 16 were present and fully developed but unerupted teeth 7 and 10 were not present."
Atlantic County - March 13, 2003
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a Black male was found in Atlantic City.
Police estimate he was born between 1948 and 1958. He was around 6' tall and weighed about 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
The victim was found wearing a blue and gray checkered shirt, dark gray denim trousers, gray socks, gray underwear, and a black and navy blue zippered sweatshirt. The victim's hair was black, curly, and bushy with gray streaks.
Atlantic County - January 20, 2003
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a Black male was found in a secured utility data room at Caesars in Atlantic City.
The victim was wearing a white shirt with yellow and tan stripes, dark blue pants, a brown leather belt with a silver metal sailboat design buckle, and white underwear. The victim had a black curly mustache and beard. He had his natural teeth with poor alignment of the anterior teeth.
The victim was born between 1948 and 1968, was about 5' 10" tall, and weighed around 160 pounds.
Monmouth County - December 2, 2002
- Photo of the victim is available on the NJ State Police website (caution is advised).
This unidentified Caucasian/Hispanic male was found at 5 PM on Emleys Hill Road in Upper Freehold.
The victim is suspected to be in his early 20s, close to 6' tall, about 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Distinguishing features include an obvious hairless scar along the left part line on the scalp and two facial moles. One mole is located above the upper lip under the right nostril and the other is located on the left cheek.
He was wearing two necklaces and a watch. One necklace is a black cord with two small oval religious pendants. The other necklace is made up of wood-like rods and ball beads. The watch is a black Casio chronograph with green buttons.
At the time he was found, he was wearing a black White Sox Major League Baseball shirt and carpenter-style Levi's blue jeans.
Passaic County - November 20, 2002
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of an unidentified white male was found in Paterson.
Police believe the victim was born between 1957 and 1967, was about 5' 3" tall, around 140 pounds, with black hair.
The victim was wearing jeans, white thermal pants, white boxer shorts, and red and white boxer shorts.
Ocean County - October 19, 2002
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a Black male was discovered in the county.
Police believe the man was born between 1963 and 1983, he was between 5' 5" and 5' 8" tall, and weighed around 150 pounds, with black hair.
Monmouth County - May 15, 2002
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a white male was recovered.
Police say he was born between 1957 and 1962. He was 5' 7" tall, 150 pounds, with grey hair.
Camden County - May 9, 2000
- Photo/sketch not provided
Authorities say the body of a Black male was found in Camden.
His estimated year of birth is 1950 to 1955; he was around 6' tall, 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
The victim had a scar on his upper left arm.
Monmouth County - April 29, 2002
- Photo/sketch not provided
A white male victim was found in Marlboro Township.
Authorities say he was estimated to be born between 1978 and 1984, about 6' tall, 145 pounds, with black hair.
The victim was found wearing red, white, and blue striped XL Ralph Lauren chaps; size 34x32 Carhartt jeans, a belt, white socks, a pair of size 38 Hanes Jockey shorts, and size 9.5 Timberland ankle-high boots.
The victim had $2.00 with him.
Mercer County - December 18, 2001
A male victim was found in a canal off of Route 1 in Trenton.
The victim had no upper teeth but a few lower teeth were present but in poor condition.
Police say he was estimated to have been born between 1936 and 1941. He was about 5' 8", 140 pounds, with grey hair, brown eyes, a scar on his forehead, and a tattoo on his left calf of what appears to be a girl naked from the waist up (pictured).
He was wearing black/blue shirts, black pants, a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black sneakers, a twine belt, with a Timex watch. He had old rib fractures on his left side.
Monmouth County - May 25, 2001
- Photo/sketch not provided
A male human left foot, along with a sneaker and sock, was discovered in the water in Sea Bright.
The foot was contained within a mainly gray with black "Attest" brand left sneaker. The sneaker had an orange "Nike" emblem on it. "BRS 1000" was printed on the sole of the sneaker. The shoelace of the sneaker is intact and tied in a double knot. The label of the show reads "Made in Indonesia, US11, 990406IR". The sneaker is a male size 11. The foot was also contained within a white "Haines" brand anklet sock.
Police say it is not known what race the victim was but it is certain that the foot is not from a Black man.
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Union County- February 25, 2001
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a Black female infant was found in Rahway.
Police say the child weighed around six pounds and was found wearing a diaper made from a dish towel. It had two safety pins attached to it.
Union County - February 21, 2001
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a Black man was found in the county.
Authorities believe he was born between 1934 and 1954. He was 5' 5" to 5' 9" tall, about 170 pounds, with no scars or tattoos.
The victim probably had lower back pain and/or walked with a limp. He also had a healed fracture of the foot. His watch has a silver meal link band.
Union County - April 27, 2000
- Photo/sketch not provided
The body of a male infant was located in a wooded area.
The only description that police can offer is that he had black hair and weighed between five and eight pounds.
Cape May County - February 29, 2000
- Photo/sketch not provided
The skeletal remains of a man were found in Ocean City.
Authorities estimate he was born between 1956 and 1975 and say, "the victim was a Caucasian with Negroid mixture and has a skeletal abnormality of the neck."
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