Loggers Found His Skull 32 Years Ago. Bergen County Students Identified Him

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A man whose skull was found by loggers in Nevada in the 1990s has finally been identified, thanks to a team of researchers and students at a college in Bergen County.

Alan Don Bishop's family reported him missing back in 1984, but they never knew what happened to him until earlier this year, officials said.

Back in May 1994, the Carson City, Nev. Sheriff's Office began investigating after a partial skull was found in the Spooner Summit area, officials said. Spooner Summit is a mountain pass linking Carson City to the Lake Tahoe area.

Detectives couldn't find any other remains in that area, they said.

Analysis determined that the skull likely belonged to an adult man. There were no signs of trauma.

But for 32 years, investigators didn't know who the man was.

Recently, the Carson City Sheriff's Office partnered with the Retired Investigators Guild and the Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center to identify the man.

The IGG center, a certificate program at Ramapo College in Mahwah, has helped solve more than 25 cases since its founding three years ago.

Students, staff, and volunteers in the program use modern DNA technology to identify subjects. When students can't complete their work by the end of a semester, the rest of the team steps in.

In this case, Astrea Forensics, a forensic DNA testing laboratory based in Scotts Valley, Calif., took a DNA sample from the skull, developed a profile, and sent it to the IGG Center.

The team identified Alan Don Bishop — whose family had reported him missing in Salt Lake City, Utah — as the candidate.

Officials were able to take a DNA sample from Bishop's living sibling, and it was a match.

"Alan experienced mental health concerns and was known to travel by hitchhiking," said a Carson City Sheriff's Office spokesperson said. "His family last received contact from him via mail in July 1984, when he advised he was traveling to Oregon via California. Communication with Alan subsequently ceased, and his bank activity became inactive, which caused his family to report Alan missing."

The IGG team said in a statement, "Our thoughts are with the family of Alan Don Bishop, who has been identified after 32 years."

Sheriffs still don't know how Bishop's skull ended up at the logging site, though. Patch reached out to them for more information, and will update this story if information is received.

Anyone with a tip is encouraged to contact Detective B. Torres with the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigations Bureau (775) 283-7858, Carson City Dispatch non-emergency (775) 887-2008, or Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900.

Other Cases Recent Solved By IGG

• NJ Students Help Identify 'Becca Doe,' 18, Found Dead In Motel
• Students ID 'Bus Stop Jane Doe,' Found In 2023

• 'John Doe' In Calvin Klein Jeans Identified After More Than 40 Years