55-Year Mystery Solved: North Dakota Coroner Identifies Homicide Victim Decades After Burial

PAGE, N.D. — After nearly 55 years, the identity of a man long buried as “unknown” has finally been uncovered, bringing long-awaited closure to a 1970 cold case homicide in Cass County.

According to the Cass County Coroner’s Office, officials exhumed the remains from St. James Cemetery on July 1, where the man had rested under a headstone marked only as “unknown male.” The breakthrough came when investigators recovered a denture plate from the skeletal remains, marked with the name “Tate W. H” and a number “20506932.”

Utilizing genealogical research and archival military records, investigators traced the denture to a World War II enlistment record for William Howard Tate. Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed the remains indeed belonged to Tate, officially identifying him more than five decades after his tragic death.

Tate’s body was originally discovered on October 27, 1970, near railroad tracks outside of Page, North Dakota. At the time, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case as a potential homicide. Reports indicated that Tate had likely been assaulted, robbed, and either thrown from a train or fallen. His injuries included rib fractures and damage to the cervical vertebrae.

Despite the suspicious circumstances, Tate’s identity remained a mystery for decades. No arrests were ever made, and Tate was buried anonymously.

Thanks to advancements in forensic science and the dedicated efforts of both local officials and academic researchers, Tate’s identity has been restored. The Cass County Coroner’s Office is now coordinating with Cass County Veteran Services to install a new headstone bearing Tate’s full name and honor his service as a World War II veteran.

Further analysis of Tate’s remains continues under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Bengtson, a professor at Southeast Missouri State University, whose team specializes in historical forensic cases. The project is supported by private donors who fund the university’s anthropology department.

This remarkable identification not only solves a decades-old mystery but also ensures that William Howard Tate will finally be remembered by name, with the dignity and respect he deserves.