Vietnam War vet identified as murder victim left partially buried in shallow grave

William Irving Monroe III, seen here in both pictures, was found shot in the head on Dec. 4, 1980, in Putnam County, Florida. (Images: Othram)

William Irving Monroe III, seen here in both pictures, was found shot in the head on Dec. 4, 1980, in Putnam County, Florida. (Images: Othram)

It took more than four decades, but advances in DNA technology cleared the way for deputies to identify an unidentified murder victim found dead and partially buried in a makeshift grave. Now, investigators must figure out who fatally shot Vietnam War veteran and father of two William Irving Monroe III.

A deputy discovered him on Dec. 4, 1980, in Putnam County, Florida, says the DNA research lab Othram and the missing person database NamUS. Sheriff Homer “Gator” DeLoach said in a press conference on Friday that this victim — previously known as John Doe 36 — had been shot in the neck and had a large hematoma on his chest, which was either from blunt force trauma or a fall.

Investigators determined he was a white man and they believed he was a migrant worker, but they had no idea of his real name or who killed him. Doe 36 had been killed two to three weeks before his body was discovered, Othram said.

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