More than 30 years ago, workers clearing brush near the St. Johns Bridge in North Portland discovered the fully skeletonized remains of a man. Local law enforcement immediately responded to conduct a death investigation, and the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office was called in to help recover the remains.
This week, with help from the DNA Doe Project, the remains were positively identified as Bryant Edward Deane, who is believed to have been about 39 years old at the time of his death.
After the remains were transferred to the medical examiner’s office, a forensic pathologist and forensic anthropologist examined the bones and determined the decedent was likely a white male, close to 50 years old, and about 5-foot-2 to 5-foot-5 in height. They noted arthritic changes, several fractures, a marked difference in leg length indicating the man would have walked with a limp, and estimated he had been deceased for about a year before discovery.
The fractures were more pronounced on the left side of the body, suggesting the decedent may have fallen from the bridge or been struck by a vehicle and thrown from the bridge. However, the cause and manner of death remain undetermined.
The clothed remains included a maroon fleece-lined jacket, dark denim pants, MacGregor brand ankle boots, and gray and brown cotton gloves on both hands, suggesting the man died during the winter. Brown hair was found near the remains. A dental examination showed evidence of restorations.
Unfortunately, there were no leads on the man’s identity, and the case went cold.
As with other unidentified remains cases, some progress was made over the years, but the case only advanced significantly with developments in genetic genealogy.
In 2011, a NamUs profile (UP#8259) was created, and DNA results were uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), though no matches were found.
In 2019, more extensive short tandem repeat (STR) DNA testing was completed, resulting in the addition of Y-STR (male-specific) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) profiles to CODIS. Despite these efforts, no matches were made.
In February 2024, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office partnered with the DNA Doe Project, which offered pro bono assistance. The organization secured funding for advanced DNA extraction and sequencing.
In March 2025, Astrea Forensics produced a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profile, which was uploaded to the GEDmatch Pro database. The enhanced profile indicated North Atlantic, Baltic, and western Mediterranean heritage. DNA Doe Project volunteers began the process of investigative genetic genealogy.
In June, the SNP profile was uploaded to the FamilyTreeDNA database to find additional matches. Soon after, volunteers began narrowing in on a match by researching family records, old newspaper clippings, and other sources. By August, they had identified a potential match and possible relatives to contact.
The medical examiner’s office reached out to the decedent’s presumed brother, who had not been in contact with him since the mid-to-late 1970s. He agreed to provide a DNA sample for comparison.
In October 2025, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the remains as those of Bryant Edward Deane, born Aug. 2, 1952.
Based on the totality of genetic and circumstantial evidence, Dr. Sean Hurst, Oregon’s chief medical examiner, positively identified the remains. Next of kin have been notified. The Portland Police Bureau has been made aware of the positive identification in the case.
“This case was cold for 33 years,” said Hailey Collord-Stalder, forensic anthropologist with the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office. “Bryant’s parents passed in 2017 and 2019, respectively, never knowing what happened to their son. His family left a space for him on their headstone; now he can finally be laid to rest with his family.”
The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office is grateful for the work of the DNA Doe Project and its volunteers, who are committed to restoring names to unidentified persons. The project continues to assist the office on several other cases.
Source: Oregon State Police