NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Almost 20 years after an unidentified man was found dead in a dumpster in Nashville, a new picture of his face could help Metro Police determine his name.
Metro Police were called to the WM Rivergate Recycling Center on Myatt Drive in Madison around 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2003, after an employee discovered a man's body in a dumpster. Officers determined the victim was a Hispanic man in his 20s.
The dumpster where he was found was picked up at a business on Murfreesboro Road, but investigators weren't sure if the man climbed in the dumpster to stay warm or was placed there. It appeared as if he had been in the dumpster since the night of Dec. 10 or the morning of Dec. 11.
"The person had actually gone through the compactor and was crushed, which was the cause of death," said Matthew Filter, a detective with the Metro Police Department's Cold Case-Homicide/Missing Persons unit.
Filter said the victim had a house or apartment key and a pistol in his pocket when he was found. He was wearing a purple vest, gray long sleeve shirt, black shoes and a multicolored beaded necklace with a crucifix.
However, the man had no identification on him.
Investigators reached out to individuals in the Hispanic community in Nashville in hopes of identifying him, but weren't successful.
With no new leads or tips coming in, they teamed up with a forensic artist to create an image of the man's face. The picture also depicts the clothing he was wearing when he was found.
Filter hopes someone recognizes the man's face and reaches out to police.
"It’s a very significant lead for us to be able to put something like that out there versus just putting out a general description," said Filter. "If you recognize the person or believe you know who they are, give the Cold Case unit a call."
If you have any information that can help identify the John Doe found in the dumpster, you can call the Metro Police Department Cold Case Unit at 615-862-7329. You can also call Nashville Crime Stoppers anonymously at 615-74-CRIME.
