@blacker_theberry: On November 15, 1988, 21-year-old Bryant Keith Bates disappeared from Birmingham, Alabama, after leaving his family home in the North East Lake neighborhood. He was last seen alive after attending a friend's funeral. When Bryant failed to return home, his family reported him missing to the Birmingham Police Department. His disappearance raised concerns among his loved ones, who feared for the worst. A friend reportedly told investigators that he had dropped Bryant off in the Kingston neighborhood, approximately five miles from the residence where his remains would eventually be discovered. Despite the initial investigation, Bryant's whereabouts remained unknown for 16 years. On November 22, 2004, an exterminator discovered human skeletal remains inside a concrete coal bin in the crawl space beneath a rental property in the South East Lake neighborhood of Birmingham. The discovery prompted a homicide investigation, and the remains were transported to the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office. Investigators determined that the remains belonged to a male believed to be between 17 and 30 years old, approximately 5'10" tall, and of African descent. An examination determined that the individual had died from a gunshot wound to the head, and the death was ruled a homicide. The unidentified man was found with remnants of plaid pants, a white shirt with blue trim, and argyle socks. He also wore a yellow metal chain necklace and a Coca-Cola-branded watch with a black plastic band on his right wrist. The remains became known as Jefferson County John Doe. In November 2015, the unidentified man's case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under case #UP14466 , but no potential matches were identified. In January 2018, a bone sample was submitted to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification for DNA analysis. The results confirmed the remains belonged to a male, and a DNA profile was entered into the national database. However, no match was found. In March 2025, another bone sample was submitted to Othram, Inc. for advanced DNA testing. The results helped genealogists develop new investigative leads that eventually pointed authorities toward Bryant's family. Investigators subsequently located immediate family members and obtained additional DNA samples for comparison. In February 2026, the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification conducted further DNA testing, confirming that the remains discovered in 2004 belonged to Bryant. Bryant was born on May 9, 1967, and was a father of two children when he disappeared at just 21 years old. Nearly four decades passed before his family could finally receive answers about what happened to him. Although his identity has been established, the circumstances surrounding his homicide remain under investigation. If you have any information about the disappearance and death of Bryant Keith Bates, please contact the Birmingham Police Department's Homicide Unit at (205) 254-1764. #Identified #JusticeForBryantKeithBates #Unsolved #Missing

BLACKER THE BERRY

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Sunday 08 November 2026 23:52:27 GMT