C.I.B. "It's an story that has captured the imagination of people across the state, and, indeed, across the world - but I believe that, finally, we may uncover some answers," South Australian Attorney General Ms Chapman said. The man was well-built, about 40 to 50 years old, 5. [2], A number of possible identifications have been proposed over the years. The next clue in the case surfaced in May 1949, when pathologist John Cleland reexamined the corpse and discovered a rolled-up piece of paper hidden in the mans pants pocket. They found that the Somerton Man belonged to haplogroup H4a1a1a, possessed by only 1% of Europeans. Walsh had left Adelaide several months earlier to buy sheep in Queensland but had failed to return at Christmas as planned. So possibly, he had come to track her down," he told the ABC. An Australian researcher claims to have solved a 73-year-old mystery by identifying a man found dead on a beach, CNN said in a report. Some observers cited the code found on his copy of The Rubiyt, as well as the apparent attempts to mask his identity, as evidence that he was a Russian spy. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Video, 00:02:36Who killed 'Little Red Riding Hood'? The coat had not been imported, indicating the man had been to America or bought it from someone of similar size who had been.[16][28]. But after more than 70 years, a researcher says he's solved the mystery - Somerton Man was Carl Webb. He was a Russian spy. [18] About the same time, Ina Harvey, the receptionist from the Strathmore Hotel opposite Adelaide railway station, revealed that a strange man had stayed in Room 21 or 23 for a few days around the time of the death, checking out on 30 November 1948. [32], On 6 June 1949, the body of two-year-old Clive Mangnoson was found in a sack in the Largs Bay sand hills, about 20 kilometres (12mi) up the coast from Somerton Park. Sleuths amateur and professional alike have been puzzled for years by the discovery in 1948 of an unidentified man's . The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. A photograph of the scrap of paper was released to the press.[36]. There is also an "X" above the last "O" in the code, and it is not known if this is significant to the code or not. As Hilary Whiteman reports for CNN, a new DNA analysis suggests the Somerton Man is Carl Charles Webb, an electrical engineer from Melbourne who vanished from the public record in April 1947. 1 December 2 a.m.: Estimated time of death. While the mystery man's remains were exhumed last year by SA Police, Professor Abbott has in the meantime persisted with his own independent efforts to crack the case. [63], In early January 1949, two people identified the body as that of 63-year-old former wood cutter Robert Walsh. South Australia Police have not confirmed the discovery but say they will comment soon. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. By 4 December, police had announced that the man's fingerprints were not on South Australian police records, forcing them to look further afield. "ekkir ennan mann?". A professor who has dedicated decades to solving one of Australia's most enduring mysteries claims he has discovered the identity of the Somerton man. [86][needs update] Some independent researchers believe the ID card belonged to Horace Charles Reynolds, a Tasmanian man who died in 1953 and therefore could not have been the Somerton man. The police had asked the public if anyone had a copy of the book with the last page missing, and a man came forward with the last page torn out. [8][10] A couple who saw him at around 7pm noted that they saw him extend his right arm to its fullest extent and then drop it limply. Per a 1949 inquest report, a doctor who examined the Somerton Mans remains placed his time of death around 2 a.m. [106] While much of the DNA is degraded, in February 2018, the University of Adelaide team obtained a high-definition analysis of the mitochondrial DNA from the hair sample from Somerton Man. [13], Another witness came forward in 1959 and reported to the police that he and three others had seen a well-dressed man carrying another man on his shoulders along Somerton Park beach the night before the body was found. Initial investigations and a coronial inquest left the case unsolved. His identity has never been determined, but there are several theories about his origin. [110], Abbott's research indicates Webb enjoyed betting on horses, thus the coded messages could be horse names. Although they commented between themselves that it was odd that he was not reacting to the mosquitoes, they had thought it more likely that he was drunk or asleep, and thus did not investigate further. This is just us drawing the dots. The researchers hope to address these mysteries and more through archival and genetic research. Carls oldest sister Freda Grace was married to Thomas Gerald Keane. There is some uncertainty about the circumstances under which the book was found. [50], It was determined the letter frequency of the message in the back of the Rubaiyat was considerably different from letters written down randomly; the frequency was to be further tested to determine if the alcohol level of the writer could alter random distribution. But a number of curious items found on the body encouraged ongoing speculation. The three sons would eventually work at the family bakery. [23] It was believed that the suitcase was owned by the man found on the beach. How an Electrical Engineer Solved Australia's Most Famous Cold Case Phillips, J.H. They included a suitcase, more items of clothing with their labels removed, and incoherent writings believed to be a code. ), Others posited that the Somerton Man was a former professional ballet dancer, drawing on the coroners comment that his calf muscles were high and well developed, such as found in women, and suggestion that he had been in the habit of wearing high-heeled and pointed shoes., Perhaps the most convincing theory centered on Thomsons son Robin, whose distinctive ears and teeth closely resembled the Somerton Mans. [42] (Subsequent research suggests that her future husband, Prosper Thomson, was in the process of obtaining a divorce from his first wife in 1949, and that he did not marry Jessica until mid-1950. Mack stated that the reason he did not confirm this at the viewing was a difference in the colour of the hair. They had a son named John, who died in World War II in 1943. A telephone number was also found in the back of the book,[41] belonging to a nurse named Jessica Ellen "Jo" Thomson (19212007) born Jessie Harkness in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville, New South Wales who lived in Moseley St, Glenelg, about 400 metres (1,300ft) north of the location where the body was found. Police conducted an Australia-wide search to find a copy of the book that had a similarly blank verso. Hicks stated that if death had occurred seven hours after the man was last seen to move, it would imply a massive dose that could still have been undetectable. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Additionally a similar-looking man had been recently seen lurking around the house. 1951: Dorothy Webb reported to be living in Bute, South Australia. The doctor who carried out the autopsy at the time of the discovery believed the man had died from heart failure due to poisoning, and the coroner didnt rule out murder. The Somerton man mystery began in the early hours of December 1, 1948, when beachgoers found a body lying on Somerton beach in Adelaide. [24] With wartime rationing still enforced, clothing was difficult to acquire at that time. [32], Cleland speculated that, as none of the witnesses could positively identify the man they saw the previous night as the same person discovered the next morning, there remained the possibility the man had died elsewhere and had been dumped. Somerton man mystery 'solved' as DNA points to man's identity Despite repeated requests for an exhumation, the . [71] Following publication of the man's photograph in Victoria, twenty-eight people claimed to know his identity. Australia's "Somerton Man" Mystery Solved After 7 Decades, Says - NDTV The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The only problem is that the body is six feet under and seven decades old. "[86], The ID card, numbered 58757, was issued in the United States on 28 February 1918 to H. C. Reynolds, giving his nationality as "British" and age as 18. The Somerton Man was an unidentified man whose body was found on 1 December 1948 on the beach at Somerton Park, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. [77] The two were found by Neil McRae[note 7] of Largs Bay, who claimed he had seen the location of the two in a dream the night before. "The first cousin we found was on his paternal sideand the second one we found was on the maternal side," he said. [32], In 1949, the body of the unknown man was buried in Adelaide's West Terrace Cemetery, where the Salvation Army conducted the service. Is climate change killing Australian wine? [83], The South Australian Police Historical Society holds the plaster bust, which contains strands of the man's hair. The Somerton man mystery began in the early hours of December 1, 1948, when beachgoers found a body lying on Somerton beach in Adelaide. And he was not a Russian agent, but rather a Melbourne-born electrical engineer. Now Australian scientists are close to solving the mystery By Hilary Whiteman, CNN Updated 10:42 PM EDT, Mon May 31, 2021 Link Copied! Still, she denied knowing the man, and authorities didnt press her on the issue. The body of a fully-clothed man was discovered by two trainee jockeys near the shore of the Somerton Park Beach, south of Adelaide, on December 1, 1948. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The Somerton Man code was actually cracked in late June 2020. He married Eliza Amelia Morris Grace (died in 1946) in 1892 and opened a bakery in Springvale, Victoria. Tamam Shud Case: Everything We Know About The Somerton Man - PEDESTRIAN.TV [110] Through investigative genetic genealogy, matches were found for descendants of two distant cousins of Webb, both on the paternal and on the maternal side. Was there a connection with Jo, the nurse? The case has drawn international interest and attracted plenty of sleuths online. In 1945, at the Clifton Gardens Hotel in Sydney, she had given it to an Australian Army lieutenant named Alf Boxall, who was serving at the time in the Water Transport Section of the Royal Australian Engineers. [94] The remains were deeper in the ground than previously thought. "So When That Angel of the Darker Drink", Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, "World War II Nominal Roll, "Boxall, Alfred", "List of facts on the Taman Shud Case that are often misreported", "Somerton Man identified as Melbourne electrical engineer, researcher says", "Seven-decade mystery of Somerton Man solved", "Professor's 15-year search for answers seeks to crack the secret code to the death of the 'Somerton man' found on an Adelaide beach", Unidentified Body Found at Somerton Beach, South Australia, on 1st December 1948, "Unsolved Death from 1948: The Somerton Man (The Taman Shud Case)", 'Unparalleled Mystery' Of Somerton Body Case, Curious aspects of unsolved beach mystery, Army Officer Sought to Help Solve Somerton Body Case, Unbreakable: Somerton Man's poetic mystery, "Computational linguistic analysis of the Tamam Shud Cipher", "No Sydney Clue to Dead Man Found at Somerton, S.A.", A Body, A Secret Pocket and a Mysterious Code, 30-Year-Old Death Riddle Probed In New Series, "Jessica Thomson's reaction to the dead man's bust", Somerton body said to be that of wood cutter, Somerton Body may be that of station hand. You may want to read Twitters cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. Australia's Mysterious Somerton Man Identified as Carl Webb | Smart "[82] Phillips supported his conclusion by pointing out that the organs were engorged, consistent with digitalis, the lack of evidence of natural disease and "the absence of anything seen macroscopically which could account for the death". During their drinking session, the mystery man supposedly produced a military pension card bearing the name "Solomonson". For 73 years, the identity of a well-dressed man found slumped by a sea wall of Somerton beach, south of Adelaide, in 1948 has been a mystery leaving room for theories featuring jilted lovers and cold war spies. Mystery of Somerton Man solved after 73 years as DNA finally identifies Cookie Policy Now Australian scientists are close to solving the mystery", "Australia Exhumes the Somerton Man, and His 70-Year Mystery", "After 65 years, new picture could reveal Unknown Man's identity | News.com.au", "How the Somerton Man played cupid from the grave", "Who was the Somerton Man? Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Was he murdered? The man's body was found propped up against the seawall at Somerton Beach in Adelaide on December 1, 1948. The case has long baffled detectives and amateur sleuths, and is regarded as one of Australia's most enduring mysteries because of strange clues linked to it, including a suspected code and a book of Persian poems. 26 July 2022: Derek Abbott announces that his DNA analysis has identified the man as Carl "Charles" Webb, an electrical engineer and instrument maker born in Melbourne in 1905. Also, the other "L" has a curve to the bottom part of the character. The Somerton Man case has been an enigma since his body was discovered in 1948. Read about our approach to external linking. Read about our approach to external linking. Both kidneys were congested, and the liver contained a great excess of blood in its vessels. [24] All identification marks on the clothes had been removed but police found the name "T. Keane" on a tie, "Keane" on a laundry bag and "Kean" on a singlet, along with three dry-cleaning marks; 1171/7, 4393/7 and 3053/7. Another couple who saw him from 7:30pm to 8pm, during which time the street lights had come on, recounted that they did not see him move during the half an hour in which he was in view, although they did have the impression that his position had changed. It was believed the man had died while sleeping. The case is part of Operation Persevere, which seeks to put a name to all unidentified remains in South Australia. [22], On 14 January 1949, staff at the Adelaide railway station discovered a brown suitcase with its label removed, which had been checked into the station cloakroom after 11:00am on 30 November 1948. Division, ", See, for example; Gumundsson, H.H. Australian charged 32 years after gay hate killing. A month after his death, police found a suitcase believed to belong to him at the Adelaide Railway Station. The 5-foot-11, 40- to 50-year-old man carried no money or identification. Abbott, who has researched the Somerton Man for more than two decades, met his current wife, Rachel Egan, through the case. 16 RACHEL EGAN'S DNA LINKED TO PROSPER THOMSON.. by peterbowes on May 31, 2021. [7] An unlit cigarette was on the right collar of his coat. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Dr Coxon said tests of this kind were highly complex but investigators would use "every method at our disposal to try and bring closure to this enduring mystery". [80] International circulation of a photograph of the man and details of his fingerprints yielded no positive identification. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. August 1945: Jessica Harkness gives Alf Boxall an inscribed copy of. Cookie Settings, Illustration by Meilan Solly / Photos via, Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States, Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Otherand the Birds Loved It, Balto's DNA Provides a New Look at the Intrepid Sled Dog, The Science of California's 'Super Bloom,' Visible From Space, The True Story of the Koh-i-Noor Diamondand Why the British Won't Give It Back. "The fact he [Thomson] has a rare dental and ear condition matching the Somerton Man appears to be an extraordinary coincidence.". [113], The marriage was not a harmonious one, largely due to Carl's personality. [47] When she was interviewed by police, Thomson said that she did not know the dead man or why he would have her phone number and choose to visit her suburb on the night of his death. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. She appeared as if she was about to faint. 28 February 1918: H. C. Reynolds identity card issued. "Somerton Beach Mystery Man", Transcript, Broadcast 15 May 2009. [68] Detectives from Victoria initially believed the man was from there because of the similarity of the laundry marks to those used by several dry-cleaning firms in Melbourne. Theories abounded, including that the person - dubbed Somerton Man - was a spy. Terms of Use "The technology available to us now is clearly light years ahead of the techniques available when this body was discovered in the late 1940s," Forensic Science South Australia's Assistant Director of Operations, Dr Anne Coxon, said. No new findings are recorded and the inquest is ended with an. Did you talk to her about that at all?" This may provide clues to the country where it was purchased. We can't say for certain say that this is the reason he came, but it seems logical., Records showed that Webb enjoyed reading and writing poetry, as well as betting on horse races. At 6:30 am on December 1, 1948, police were called to Somerton Park beach south of Adelaide, South Australia after the body of a man was found. When an employee looked inside the case he told Harvey he had found an object inside the case he described as looking like a "needle". Cryptic clues about man found on an Adelaide beach in 1948 spawned theories of jilted lovers and cold war spies but the truth may open up even more questions. [113] Earlier the ABC had published photos of Webb's brother, Roy Webb, claiming they resembled the Somerton Man. "I would like to see the toxicology done. Taman Shud Case, also called the Mystery of the Somerton Man, is an unsolved criminal case about a man who never had his name and origin discovered, found dead on December 1, 1948, on the beach at Somerton, city of Adelaide, Australia. Somerton Man body-on-the-beach mystery solved as family - YouTube [76] The Mangnosons had been missing for four days. [3][4] South Australia Police and Forensic Science South Australia have not verified the result, but South Australia Police said they were "cautiously optimistic" about it. Mangnoson was born in Adelaide on 4 May 1914 and served as a Private in the Australian Army from 11 June 1941 until his discharge on 7 February 1945. Key points: The mystery Somerton Man has been identified as a Melbourne-born electrical engineer Researcher Derek Abbott spent decades researching the case She was 27 years old in 1948. 14 October 2019: Attorney-General of South Australia grants conditional approval for The Somerton Man to be exhumed in order for a DNA sample to be obtained. Somerton man: Body exhumed in bid to solve Australian mystery The Advertiser first mentioned the case in a small article on page three of its morning edition of 2 December 1948. How muscly calves and a little girl who loved ballet could solve the