CASE REFERENCE: 2008020199

MACGREGOR, Donald Alexander

MISSING FROM: Miami, Florida

HOMETOWN: Municipality of Durham (Possibly Whitby) Ontario, Canada

MISSING SINCE: July 7th, 1973

PHYSICAL PROFILE

Year of birth - 1928

Age at disappearance - 45

Gender - Male

Bio group - White

Eye colour - Brown

Hair - Brown, Short

Teeth - False

Height - 178cm / 5 ft 10 in

Weight - 77kg / 170lb

Build - Slender/Thin

Scar - Nose, on bridge of nose

CIRCUMSTANCES OF DISAPPEARANCE

On 07 May 1973 Donald MacGregor and his wife were vacationing in Miami Florida. Donald left for Panama City for business on the 07 May 1973 and was supposed to be in Panama City for about 6 weeks. Donald was reported missing after a considerable time had passed and no one had heard from him.

LAW ENFORCEMENT CASE REFERENCES

2008020199 - National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains;

Ontario Provincial Police

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

POSSIBLE MATCH

Case Information

NAMUS CASE # 99-0685

On November 24, 1978 at approx. 00:00 skeletal remains were located in a wooded area west of a rest area in Lake City, FL. The decedent was located in between several planted pine trees.

STATUS: Unidentified

STATE OF REMAINS: Skeletal

Circumstances

LOCATION FOUND

GPS COORDINATES 

Address 1: Interstate 10

Address 2: Interstate 75

City: Lake City

State: Florida

Zip Code: 30204

County: Columbia

Demographics

ESTIMATED AGE: Adult, 35 - 50 years

RACE: White

SEX: Male

WEIGHT (POUNDS): Cannot Estimate

HEIGHT (INCHES): 69, Estimated

BODY CONDITIONS: Not recognizable; Partial skeletal remains only

PROBABLE YEAR OF DEATH: ____ - 1977

POST MORTEM INTERVAL: Years

Distinctive Features

SKELETAL FINDINGS: Healed broken nose that may have bent to the left; Healed broken left foot; Severe arthritis in left hip (Possibly traumatic)

Clothing and Accessories

CLOTHING WITH BODY: Portion of pant leg (Possibly denim)

Dental

Currently Available and entered

DNA

Currently Available and entered

Why is this a possible match?

1. Geographical Location

The Mr. MacGregor was vacationing in Florida at the time he disappeared, the state of which the unidentified remains were located. Furthermore, as this case describes, Mr. MacGregor left Miami (where he was vacationing) for Panama city to attend to business. The location where these remains were found is right along the route Mr. MacGregor would have likely taken to get from Miami to Panama City.

2. Physical/Medical similarities

Mr. MacGregor was male, white, 45 years of age. The unidentified decedent is male, white, estimated to be 35-50 years of age. The report states that Mr. MacGregor had a scar across the bridge of his nose; the unidentified decedent had a healed broken nose that may have bent to the left. As well, Mr. MacGregor’s height is reported as 178 cm, which is about 70 inches. The unidentified decedent is reported to be approx. 69 inches.

3. Composite similarities

Though it is often difficult to distinguish similarities from a composite to a photograph, there are some subtle similarities to the composite sketches of the decedent and Mr. MacGregor’s photograph. Consider that the physical attributes of the unidentified remains such as hair and eye colour are unknown due to the condition of the remains being skeletal.

4. Time Frame

It is reported that Mr. MacGregor was reported missing In July of 1973 after going a considerable amount of time without contacting anyone. The unidentified decedent was located in November of 1978 as completely skeletal remains. If this body is a match, it can be assumed that Mr. MacGregor died while enroute to his destination of Panama City; possibly within hours of leaving Miami. Considering this body was likely exposed to the elements, it would not have taken long to decompose into a skeletal state. NAMUS is unclear on the probable year of death (see website) but it is estimated to be before 1977 and that the body may have been there for several years.