Body was found in the water in 2001, California deputies say. Now, it’s identified
More than two decades after a body was found in the water near an island, it has been identified, California deputies say.
With the help of DNA testing, the body was identified as Craig William Ott, of Sacramento, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office said in an Aug. 28 news release shared on Facebook.
The sheriff’s office said it responded to a call about a body found in the water at Miner Slough off of Ryer Island near Rio Vista on March 11, 2001.
Over the next year, investigators tried to determine the man’s identity; however, he was eventually buried without a name, deputies said.
Then, decades later, investigators reopened the case in 2023 and had the man’s body exhumed, deputies said.
The sheriff’s office turned its sights toward forensic genetic genealogy.
Genetic genealogy uses DNA testing coupled with “traditional genealogical methods” to create “family history profiles,” according to the Library of Congress. With genealogical DNA testing, researchers can determine if and how people are biologically related.
Deputies sent DNA evidence for testing to Othram Inc., the forensic genetic genealogy company said in a news release.
From there, Othram said its scientists created “a comprehensive genealogical profile for the unknown man.”
This profile was used in genetic genealogy research, the company said.
With new leads, investigators identified the man’s potential relatives, who submitted DNA samples for comparison, according to Othram.
The analysis positively identified the man as Ott, who would have been 44 in 2001 when he disappeared “under unknown circumstances,” deputies said.
His daughter, Sheila Ott, told SF Gate he was working in construction at the time.
“He was an amazing dad to me. We were very close,” Sheila Ott told the outlet. “His mom passed away three years ago. She never gave up hope in finding him one day.”
Ott’s case is still under investigation, deputies said, adding that anyone with information about Ott is asked to contact Detective Christopher Cavazos at 707-784-7050 or Coroner Investigator Jessica Dew at 707- 784-7500.
Rio Vista is about a 45-mile drive southwest from Sacramento.
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 5:40 PM with the headline "Body was found in the water in 2001, California deputies say. Now, it’s identified."
