They solve the mystery of the “Pinnacle Man” who was found frozen in a cave almost five decades ago
(CNN) –– A man who was found frozen in a Pennsylvania cave in 1977 has finally been identified, closing the book on a nearly 50-year mystery.
The Berks County Coroner’s Office identified the missing man’s remains as Nicholas Paul Grubb, 27, of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
Surprisingly, advanced technology played no role in the identification of “Pinnacle Man,” a nickname inspired by the peak in the Appalachian Mountains near where Grubb was found.
Instead, Berks County Coroner John Fielding told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that a Pennsylvania State Police detective discovered the missing link in the cold case the old-fashioned way, by reviewing files.
On Jan. 16, 1977, hikers found the frozen body of a man in a cave just below Pinnacle in Albany Township, the Berks County coroner said at the news conference.
During the autopsy, the man could not be identified based on his appearance, clothing or belongings, according to George Holmes, Berks County deputy coroner. According to Holmes, the cause of death was determined to be a drug-induced overdose. There were no signs of trauma on Grubb’s body to suggest a crime had been committed, according to the coroner’s office.
Dental records and fingerprints were collected during the man’s autopsy, according to Holmes, who added that the fingerprints were out of place.
More than 42 years passed before authorities revisited the cold case, according to CNN affiliate WFMZ, which reported that Grubb’s body was exhumed in 2019 after dental records linked him to two murder cases. missing persons in Florida and Illinois.
Berks County forensic experts conducted an examination in 2019 and DNA samples were taken to update his record in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). However, they did not match the two missing persons cases, the coroner’s office said.
In early August, there was a major breakthrough in the cold case. Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Ian Keck found the missing fingerprint card from Grubb’s 1977 autopsy.
According to Holmes, Keck submitted the fingerprint card to NamUs on August 12 and within an hour an FBI fingerprint expert compared Pinnacle Man’s fingerprints to Grubb’s.
The Berks County Coroner’s Office notified one of Grubb’s relatives and confirmed Grubb’s identity. The family member asked the office to place his remains in the family plot.
“This identification represents a long-awaited resolution for his family, who have been notified and have expressed their deep gratitude for the collective efforts that made it possible. It is moments like these that remind us of the importance of our work to provide answers, close the chapter and give a name and a story to the unidentified,” Fielding said.
