A cold case that baffled authorities and intrigued locals for nearly half a century has finally come to a close. The mystery surrounding the frozen body found in a Pennsylvania cave in 1977, known for decades only as "Pinnacle Man," is over. The remains have been identified as those of Nicholas Paul Grubb, a 27-year-old man from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
The long-awaited breakthrough was announced by the Berks County Coroner's Office at a press conference on Tuesday, reported CNN. The key to unlocking this cold case was some good old-fashioned detective work.
The discovery
On a chilly day in January 1977, hikers exploring a cave near the Pinnacle, a peak in the Appalachian Mountains in Albany Township, stumbled upon a grisly discovery. The frozen body of a man was found inside the cave, triggering an investigation that would last decades.
The initial investigation, led by George Holmes, then the chief deputy coroner of Berks County, hit a dead end quickly. The man, unable to be identified based on his appearance, clothing, or belongings, became a mystery known simply as the "Pinnacle Man."
An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was a drug-induced overdose, with no signs of trauma or foul play. Dental records and fingerprints were collected, but the fingerprint card soon disappeared, leaving investigators with little to go on.
A break in the case
For more than four decades, the Pinnacle Man's true identity remained unknown. Then, in 2019, authorities decided to revisit the cold case, exhuming the body in hopes that advancements in forensic science might finally provide answers.
Berks County forensic experts performed an examination and took DNA samples, which were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). However, the samples did not match any known cases, and the identity of Pinnacle Man remained a mystery.
Fast-forward to early August of this year, when a Pennsylvania State Police detective, Ian Keck, stumbled upon a crucial piece of evidence that had been missing for decades - the lost fingerprint card from Grubb's 1977 autopsy.
Recognising its significance, Mr Keck immediately submitted the card to NamUs. Within just an hour, an FBI fingerprint expert confirmed a match - the fingerprints belonged to Nicholas Paul Grubb.
Closing the book on a 50-year mystery
With Mr Grubb's identity finally confirmed, Berks County Coroner John Fielding was relieved. "This identification brings a long-awaited resolution to his family, who have been notified and expressed their deep appreciation for the collective efforts that made it possible," Mr Fielding said during a press conference. "It is moments like these that remind us of the importance of our work, to provide answers, to bring closure, and to give the unidentified a name and a story."
One of Mr Grubb's relatives, who was informed of the discovery, requested that his remains be placed in the family plot, finally bringing him home after all these years.
