Authorities in Berks County, Pennsylvania, have identified human remains found in a cave used by hikers on the Appalachian Mountain Trail about 50 years ago.
Hikers discovered the body of a man who went missing on the Appalachian Trail on Jan. 16, 1977, in a cave near Pinnacle, Berks County Coroner John A. Fielding III told reporters at a news conference.
“For 47 years this man went unidentified, a nameless figure in a forgotten case,” Fielding said, “but today, through the tireless determination of federal, state and local authorities, I am honored to announce that the Berks County Coroner's Office has confirmed this man's identity. His name is Nicholas Paul Grubb, a 27-year-old man from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.”
FOX 29 in Philadelphia Investigators believe Grubb committed suicide, and an overdose of phenobarbital and pentobarbital was determined to be the cause, the report said.
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The Berks County, Pennsylvania, medical examiner's office has identified a body found on a trail in the Appalachian Mountains nearly 50 years ago as that of Nicholas Paul Grubb. (Berks County Coroner's Office)
According to Drugbank.com, pentobarbital is a barbiturate used to treat short-term insomnia, while phenobarbital is a barbiturate used to treat all types of seizures except absence seizures.
Over the past 15 years, investigators have compared Grubb's body to 10 other remains using fingerprints, dental X-rays and other methods.
In 2019, Grubb's body was exhumed from a Berks County cemetery to conduct a genealogical analysis, but four years later investigators still have not been able to identify him.
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The FBI matched the fingerprint card to Nicholas Paul Grubb within an hour of receiving the evidence. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
Investigators also attempted to approximate the face, but facial bones were broken and parts were lost during the excavation process.
The coroner's office said it submitted the original fingerprint card to a national database of unidentified or unclaimed bodies, and FBI experts determined a match within an hour.
“This identification marks a much-needed resolution for the families, who have been notified and have expressed their deep gratitude for the collaborative efforts that have made this resolution possible,” Fielding said. “It is moments like these that remind us of the importance of our work to provide answers, closure and give names and stories to the unidentified.”
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Fielding also said his team continues to learn more about the young man each day since Grubb was identified.
“Nicky, as he was known to his family, served his country as a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in the early 1970s,” the coroner said, “and was also known to have lived in Colorado for a short period of time.”
