Body identified in 26-year-old Marshall County cold case

MARSHALL CO., Ala. (WAFF) - The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference on Wednesday with an update on a 26-year-old cold case investigation.

“After 26 years, the deceased individual has now been identified as Jeffery Douglas Kimzey of Santa Barbara, California,” Sheriff Phil Sims said.

Kimzey’s body was found off Eagle Rock Road in Union Grove with his hands, head and feet removed. Sheriff Sims says this was likely done to make identifying Kimzey impossible.

According to MCSO, Parabon NanoLabs stepped in with their technology to create a sketch of Kimzey’s physical characteristics. Additionally, Parabon used Genetic Genealogy to locate the victim’s biological parents.

“They never reported him missing. They thought he had gone on to live his life without them. They were distraught, but I think they also felt a sense of relief. I think they were relieved to know that he had been located,” Chief Deputy Willie Orr said.

Retired Chief Investigator Keith Wilson says though this is a big step, the search for the suspect has just started.

“I feel certain now that the obstacle of knowing the victim, now that that’s over, I think the current investigators will be able to move forward with finding closure for this case,” says Wilson.

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