Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Identified: Pedestrian Hit and Killed in Knox County Over 30 Years Ago Revealed to be South Carolina Man
A pedestrian who was tragically hit and killed in Knox County more than three decades ago has finally been identified, thanks to the diligent efforts of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and other law enforcement agencies.
The South Carolina man’s remains were discovered in 1993, sparking a long-standing mystery that has now been solved through the Unidentified Human Remains DNA Initiative, a collaborative project involving TBI, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.
On that fateful day in May 1993, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle along Cedar Bluff Road in Knoxville. The victim, who had no identification on him, was pronounced dead at the scene, marking the beginning of a decades-long quest to uncover his identity.
Forensic pathologists initially estimated that the man was aged between 51 and 60 years old, but despite exhaustive investigations, his identity remained a mystery, leading to his classification as a John Doe.
The breakthrough came in December 2022 when the University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center submitted a sample of the man’s remains to Othram Inc., a private laboratory in Texas, to create a comprehensive DNA profile. This crucial step paved the way for the man to be identified.
Through the use of forensic genetic genealogical DNA testing, researchers were able to trace possible relatives of the John Doe, ultimately leading to the confirmation of his identity as Elbert Louis Brown. Brown, who was born on July 1, 1940, hailed from the York, South Carolina area.
Family members had last seen Brown in 1992 when he was reportedly homeless, adding a poignant layer to the story of his life and tragic end in Knox County.
This recent identification follows another success story from last year, where a woman believed to have been living in Knox County was also identified through the Unidentified Human Remains DNA Initiative after more than three decades.
For more information or to support local journalism, visit knoxnews.com/subscribe.
.