Human Remains Identified in Tennessee After 20 Years

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Knox County government announced on Monday that human remains discovered over 20 years ago near an interstate in Knoxville have been identified as Brian A. Sanderson. Originally from Vermont, Sanderson was 54 years old at the time of his death. The cause of death remains undetermined, and details regarding how long he had been in Tennessee were not disclosed by Chris Thomas, the administrator of the Knox County Regional Forensic Center. The remains were first found on November 30, 2003, by a passerby near an entrance ramp to Interstate-275. The Knoxville Police Department, in collaboration with an anthropology team from the University of Tennessee, conducted the initial recovery and examination of the remains. Over the years, advancements in DNA testing and forensic methods prompted ongoing efforts to identify the remains, including a submission to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System in 2008. In 2017, the Regional Forensic Center took over the investigation, determining the remains belonged to a white male between the ages of 40 and 60, standing approximately 5 feet tall. A significant breakthrough occurred in 2022 when Knox County utilized a federal grant to engage Othram, a private company specializing in cold case resolutions through DNA analysis and genealogy, which ultimately led to the identification of Sanderson. Thomas emphasized the commitment to identifying decedents and connecting them with their families, stating, “We want the families to have closure.”