In the historic Crestwood neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama, a decorated veteran who had survived the battlefields of two foreign wars met a tragic and mysterious end in the quiet of his own home. Major John Howard Logan, an 84-year-old man who had served his country in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, was found deceased in his residence on Crest Hill Road on April 16, 2015.
His death, however, was not due to the passage of time or natural causes; an autopsy would later reveal that he had been shot multiple times in his torso.
Neighbors remembered Logan as a man who kept to himself, often seen walking to the local grocery store as he did not own a car. It wasn't unusual for long periods to pass without sightings of the elderly veteran, a factor that contributed to the delayed discovery of his death. It was the emergence of a foul odor that eventually prompted a call to the authorities. When police entered his home, they found a scene that suggested Logan had been a hoarder, which complicated the initial search for him within the cluttered residence. His remains were found in a state of partial mummification and skeletonization, indicating a significant amount of time had passed since his death.
The investigation into the death of John Howard Logan remains an open and cold case. Law enforcement officials believe that the person or persons responsible for his death were likely known to him, suggesting that he may have willingly let his killer into his home. Despite the passage of time, Birmingham police detectives continue to seek answers, holding out hope that someone in the community may have seen something, however insignificant it may have seemed at the time, that could lead to a breakthrough in the case. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with his murder, leaving the final chapter of this old soldier's story tragically unwritten.
