SAN JOSE – Authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the families of three men who were found dead in separate incidents four decades ago in Santa Clara County but were only identified recently thanks to technological advancements.
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The Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office issued the request Friday.
“The office has been unable to locate family for these cases, despite extensive efforts, and is seeking the public’s help,” the county agency said in a news release.
Authorities identified the men as Alfred Sherman Anderson, Johnny Puentes and Scotty Edward Echols.
Anderson, 57, was found dead beneath an ATM in the rear of American Savings Bank, located at 66 West Santa Clara St. in San Jose, on Nov. 16, 1987. The coroner’s office identified his cause of death as “arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” and his manner of death as “natural.”
He was described as white, 5 feet 3 inches tall and 145 pounds, with gray eyes and gray-brown hair.
At the time of his death, Anderson was wearing a red windbreaker emblazoned with “Half Moon Bay Parks and Rec,” a gray-green checkered sport shirt, a gray short-sleeved pullover emblazoned with “Pebble Beach,” a white T-shirt, gray pants with a light brown belt, white socks and blue deck shoes, according to the coroner’s office.
Puentes, 37, was found dead on the bank of Coyote Creek near Story Road in San Jose on Sept. 20, 1989. The coroner’s office identified his cause of death as “narcotic and alcohol intoxication” and his manner of death as “probable accident.”
He was described as possibly Latino, 140 pounds and 5 feet 5 inches tall, with black hair.
The coroner’s office said Puentes was wearing blue jeans and yellow high-top tennis shoes at the time of his death. Items found near him included a red tote bag emblazoned with “Marlboro,” a blue windbreaker, a blue UCLA polo shirt and a blue net T-shirt.
“All clothing was marked with sizes with a waterproof marker as if reissued by an agency,” the coroner’s office said.
Lastly, Echols, 32, was found on the railroad tracks directly across from 8797 Monterey Road in Gilroy on July 4, 1983. The coroner’s office identified his cause of death as “multiple traumatic injuries” and his manner of death as “accident.”
He was described as white, 5 feet 6 inches tall and 210 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. In addition, he had a tattoo of a devil on his upper right shoulder.
At the time of his death, Echols was wearing a gray checkered coat, a maroon shirt, khaki-colored pants, gray socks and loafers, according to the coroner’s office.
The three men were identified as part of an ongoing review of cases involving unidentified persons.
“With greater database access and technological enhancements, fingerprint submissions which may not have turned up matches previously may now result in a match,” the coroner’s office said in a statement when asked why the men were being identified now.
Information about the cases has also been uploaded to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, which serves as a centralized repository and resource center for missing, unidentified and unclaimed persons across the country.
Anyone with information about the families of the men can contact the coroner’s office at 408-793-1900 (Ext. 3).
Anderson’s medical examiner case number is C87-2797 and his NamUs case numbers are UP109335 and UCP125131; Puentes’ medical examiner case number is 89-263-005 and his NamUs case numbers are UP125097 and UCP125133; and Echols’ medical examiner case number is C83-1520 and his NamUs case numbers are UP111039 and UCP125134.