Anthropology students and faculty from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) played a key role in identifying human remains discovered in the Mississippi River in 2022, bringing long-awaited closure to a grieving Indiana family.
In June 2022, the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Office recovered a body from the Mississippi River near Portageville, Missouri. Despite initial forensic efforts and DNA testing, the remains—referred to for two years as "Portageville John Doe"—could not be identified. That changed when New Madrid County officials reached out to Dr. Jennifer Bengtson, professor of anthropology at SEMO, in 2024.
Dr. Bengtson and her students joined the investigation, conducting a detailed forensic assessment of the remains. The team developed an updated biological profile, completed dental analysis, and selected samples for advanced DNA testing. Their research helped prioritize the best samples for further analysis, which were sent to Othram, a forensic sequencing lab that specializes in degraded DNA samples.
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Using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® and forensic genetic genealogy, Othram was able to build a comprehensive SNP profile. Meanwhile, SEMO students continued refining the biological profile to help narrow potential matches.
The collaborative efforts led to a break in the case: investigators traced potential relatives who had posted online about a missing family member matching the description. In April 2025, familial DNA testing confirmed the remains were those of Robert J. Eaton, a 26-year-old man who had been reported missing from Elizabeth, Indiana in early 2022.
"As always, we are honored to work with our law enforcement and laboratory partners to help bring resolution to another case,” said Bengtson. “Robbie's family finally has some answers and can now lay him to rest. But so many other families are still waiting for news on their own lost loved ones. By some estimates, there are up to 40,000 sets of unidentified human remains in this country. We'll keep working to help put a dent in that number."
Funding for this work was provided by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and private donations to SEMO’s Forensic Anthropology Program. The New Madrid County Sheriff’s Office praised SEMO’s contributions, noting that the collaboration has set a new standard for future investigations.
“This case opened the door to new techniques that will change the way we investigate unidentified remains in New Madrid County,” said a statement from the Sheriff’s Office. “Because of the tireless efforts of Dr. Bengtson and her students, a family that has been searching for their son for the last two years finally has closure.”
Eaton’s family traveled to Missouri in May to recover his remains and expressed gratitude to everyone involved. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Eaton’s disappearance and death is ongoing.
For more information about SEMO’s anthropology program and forensic work, visit semo.edu/anthropology.