Skeletal remains found more than 40 years ago are identified as Kentucky man, police say

Investigators have positively identified a set of skeletal remains that were found about 43 years ago, Kentucky State Police announced Friday.

With the help of Othram, a DNA and forensic testing company, KSP have managed to confirm that skeletal remains found in two different places belonged to Louisville man Kenneth Linville, who would have been 40 years old at the time of his death.

KSP said Linville’s skeletal remains were found in Carroll County near the Ohio River in November 1980. More of Linville’s remains were found in Switzerland County, Indiana near the Ohio River two months prior, though it was unknown at the time that both sets of remains were the same person.

In 2005, investigators determined the two different findings belonged to the same person, but they weren’t able to identify him, according to KSP. Othram said the case was added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System but went cold afterward due to the few leads to work with.

KSP sent Linville’s remains to Othram last year in hopes of getting an identification. KSP said the company used forensic-grade genome sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile for Linville, which led to the detective finding a potential relative of Linville’s.

The relative agreed to a DNA test, which confirmed the identification of Linville, according to KSP. The cause and manner of Linville’s death is unknown and the investigation was ongoing Friday.

Linville was born in Louisville in December 1939, KSP said. He was from Bethel, Ohio, and spent a number of years in his life institutionalized, according to Othram.

Linville was last discharged in August 1980. Othram said it’s believed that he was in and out of institutions six times.