Howard Evans

For thirty-four years, he was known only as "John Doe 1986," a collection of skeletal remains found in a remote patch of woods. It wasn't until April 2020 that a name was finally returned to him: Howard Evans, a man who had vanished two years before his body was discovered. Known to his loved ones as "Kip," he was 29 years old when he disappeared in 1984. His last known whereabouts were in Volusia County, Florida. After six years with no contact, his family, who lived in South Carolina, had him legally declared deceased in 1990, never knowing what had become of him.

On January 18, 1986, a man cutting palmettos in a densely wooded area off Pump House Road, near Jones Island Road in the Ormond Beach area, made a grim discovery. He found the skeletal remains of a man. Investigators from the Volusia Sheriff's Office were called to the scene, a part of Bulow Creek State Park sometimes used as a campsite by bikers. A forensic examination revealed that the man had died from violent trauma, and his death was immediately ruled a homicide. The remains were estimated to have been there for an undetermined amount of time.

For decades, the investigation into the man's identity and his murder hit one dead end after another. With no name to attach to the victim, the case went cold. Over the years, detectives pursued various leads and tips, but none led to a breakthrough. Between 2006 and 2011, a DNA profile was developed from the remains and entered into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but no matches were found. In an effort to generate new leads, the Florida Institute of Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science at the University of South Florida created facial reconstruction models in 2014, hoping someone might recognize the man's face. The models depicted a white male, estimated to be between 20 and 35 years old and about 5-foot-9, with a noticeable facial deformity that caused a lopsided jaw and a significant overbite.

The crucial break in the case came from a place investigators might not have expected: a social media group for missing persons. In 2019, the Volusia Sheriff's Office Major Case Unit learned of posts about a woman whose son, Howard "Kip" Evans, had been missing since 1984. The posts mentioned he was last known to be in Volusia County and was about 29 at the time. Investigators discovered that a formal missing person's report had never been filed for him.

Following this new lead, detectives contacted Evans' mother in South Carolina and obtained a DNA sample. The sample was sent to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification and the FBI for analysis. In April 2020, investigators received the news they had been waiting for. The familial DNA from his mother was a positive match to the man known for more than three decades as "John Doe 1986." After nearly 36 years of uncertainty, Kip's mother was notified that her son had finally been found.

The identification gave Howard Evans his name back, but it did not solve his murder. The Volusia Sheriff's Office announced that the homicide investigation, now with a victim to focus on, was active and ongoing. They are seeking any information about what happened to Kip between his disappearance in 1984 and the discovery of his body in 1986. Detectives hope that someone who knew him during that time might be able to provide the missing pieces of the puzzle.

As of April 2020, the murder of Howard "Kip" Evans remains unsolved. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office continues to seek justice for him and his family. Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Volusia Sheriff's Office Major Case Unit at 386-254-1537 or to remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 277-TIPS.