St. Pete’s last ‘John Doe’ identified after 46 years through DNA technology

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Courtesy: St. Petersburg Police Department.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For nearly five decades, he was only known as a cold case victim. But now, the St. Petersburg Police Department has named its last remaining unidentified person: Johnny Bradshaw.

The breakthrough comes 46 years after Bradshaw, a 29-year-old from Tennessee, was murdered alongside another man in a local motel.

The backstory:

Bradshaw and an associate, Jack Roy Davis, were staying at the Siesta Motel on 34th Street when both were shot in the head, according to detectives. 

While Davis was identified immediately, Bradshaw remained a mystery.

For years, investigators relied on an artist’s rendering and a photo of a unique Italian horn pendant the victim was wearing, hoping someone would recognize him. The trail eventually went cold in April 1980.

In 2010, investigators removed Bradshaw's body from the grave to gather evidence, but technology at the time did not yield a name.

The shooting suspects, Kyle Watson and his girlfriend, David Ann Thomas, were quickly identified after the murders, but the case took a bizarre turn before St. Pete detectives could make an arrest.

The two returned to Knoxville, Tennessee and Thomas shot and killed Watson. Thomas was eventually caught and served prison time for being an accessory after the fact. She has since passed away.

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Dig deeper:

In 2023, Cold Case Detective Wallace Pavelski sent new bone samples to Othram Labs, a private lab specializing in forensic genealogy.

They were able to successfully extract a full DNA profile, leading investigators to family members living in Texas and California. Bradshaw’s two living sisters told police they had been searching for their brother since the year he vanished.

The St. Petersburg Police Department officially has no more unidentified John or Jane Does on its cold case list.

What they're saying:

"Through years of relentless dedication and the use of advanced forensic technology, our detectives have worked tirelessly to restore names, identities, and dignity," the department said in a statement.