Who was the man found dead in Arizona with no ID, no belongings—just the clothes on his back?
For over a decade, he was known only as “Maricopa County John Doe 2013.”
Now, thanks to cutting-edge DNA sleuthing, he finally has a name: Michael Sidney Hill.
Hill, a 75-year-old British man, had traveled to visit a friend in Phoenix in 2013.
But when he died shortly after, his identity vanished with him.
With no family contacts and nothing to go on, the case went cold—until science stepped in.
How Was It Solved?
Using Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG), researchers at Sheffield Hallam University and Ramapo College cracked the case.
“It allows you to trace connections through DNA and family trees,” explained Dr. Craig Paterson, who led the UK team.
IGG has already helped catch killers like the Golden State Killer—but this was the first time it solved a British mystery.
Turns out, Hill was born in Lambeth in 1937 but disappeared from public records in the 1950s.
His DNA eventually linked to distant relatives in Surrey.
“It did look like he just disappeared,” said Dr. Paterson.
But thanks to IGG, Michael Hill’s name—and dignity—have finally been restored. A ghost no more.
