Geneseo, IL – Nearly 60 years after skeletal remains were discovered in rural Henry County, authorities have confirmed the identity of a young homicide victim found near Geneseo in 1966.
According to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and the DNA Doe Project, the remains—known for decades as Geneseo John Doe—have been identified as Ronald Joe Cole, a 19-year-old who vanished from Fillmore, California, in 1965.
On October 27, 1966, a postal worker discovered a human skull near a creek southeast of Geneseo. The FBI later determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and estimated the man had died one to five years earlier. Additional skeletal remains were recovered during a search of the area, and investigators believed the victim was between 16 and 30 years old.
In 2024, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office submitted the cold case to the DNA Doe Project. A DNA profile was developed from the remains and uploaded to GEDmatch, where volunteer genetic genealogists identified several close familial matches.
“We were very grateful for the relatives who uploaded their DNA,” said team leader Gwen Knapp. “Unusually, we had strong matches on both the maternal and paternal sides.”
Research revealed Ronald Joe Cole had long been listed as missing and was believed to be a homicide victim whose body was never found. Subsequent DNA testing confirmed the match.
According to investigators, Cole was living with his half-brother, David LaFever, at the time of his disappearance. LaFever was previously named the prime suspect in Cole’s disappearance and allegedly confessed to the killing, though he was never charged. Authorities also linked LaFever to a separate family homicide years later.
The Henry County Sheriff’s Office stated the case remains an active homicide investigation and is coordinating with Ventura County officials in California.
Officials emphasized the identification brings long-awaited answers to Cole’s family after decades of uncertainty.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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