Cold case cracked: After 40 years, 'Palatka John Doe' identified as investigation into death continues

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Courtesy: Putnam County Sheriff's Office

PALATKA, Fla. - A man who was dubbed 'Palatka John Doe' after being found dead in the woods of Putnam County has been identified, but investigators are still searching for his family and information on how he ended up in the area.

The backstory:

An East Palatka resident found the body of a naked white man on October 8, 1981, in the woods off Old San Mateo Road.

The sheriff’s office said the body was in advanced stages of decomposition and the face was unrecognizable.

Courtesy: Putnam County Sheriff's Office

Men’s underwear was located about 20 feet from the body, but investigators said there were no signs of foul play and no tracks leading to or from the body.

The medical examiner said that the man was under the age of 60, likely 5'5" to 6'0" tall and weighed between 200-250 lbs.

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His death was ruled as a result of undetermined, non-violent causes, but he could not be identified at the time and no one who matched his description had been reported missing.

The man was called ‘Palatka John Doe’ and he was buried in a pauper's grave in Palatka's Oak Hill cemetery.

Dig deeper:

In December 2023, the body of ‘Palatka John Doe’ was exhumed, and forensic evidence gathered was submitted to Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the man.

Othram scientists developed a DNA tract and built a comprehensive DNA profile, which allowed their forensic genetic genealogy team to develop potential leads of relatives.

Using those leads, a captain with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office was able to contact a biological sibling who said Palatka John Doe’s biological name was Patrick Nordin.

Investigators said Nordin was adopted, and they are asking for help figuring out how he may have gotten to Putnam County.

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According to investigators, Nordin was born in Erie, Pa., in March or April 1942. Due to family hardships, he and his siblings were placed for adoption through St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum for Boys in Erie.

The sibling who spoke with the sheriff’s office believed Nordin was adopted around age four.

Investigators said it doesn’t seem like any of his siblings were adopted together.

Nordin would have been 39 years old at the time of his death.

What they're saying:

In a social media post, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office wrote, "We do not know the name of his adoptive family or his adoptive name. This could be key information in helping determine if he was living in Putnam, recently moved, or if he was transient at the time of his death. We are asking for help in sharing this information so that hopefully a family member will see this and we can send Patrick home and provide closure for a family missing a loved one. We are thankful for the team at Othram and their continued diligence in helping identify these cold cases not only in our community, but also throughout the state and nation."