Unidentified Man Found in Reservoir May Not Be White Ethnicity, Inquest Hears

According to BBC UK, an inquest heard that the ethnicity of an unidentified man whose body was discovered in a reservoir in mid-Wales two years ago might not be of white ethnicity as previously believed. The body, which was wearing an open water swimming wetsuit, was located by a dogwalker at the Claerwen Reservoir near Rhayader, Powys, in October 2024. Despite a major international police appeal and the application of advanced facial re-imaging techniques, the man's identity and the cause of his death remain unknown.

Coroner Patricia Morgan advised detectives to analyze a liver sample that had been provided to the police two years prior but never tested, stating she wished to pursue this line of inquiry before reaching a final determination. The inquest indicated that the man's remains could have been submerged for over three months before they were discovered, and tests have the potential to ascertain whether he died before or after entering the water.

It was revealed that while the police ran the man's DNA through police databases, they did not utilize commercial DNA sites, which are frequently used by individuals researching their family history or attempting to connect with distant relatives. Det Insp Anthea Ponting informed the inquest via video link that the force considered using such sites at the time but was informed it could require substantial resources. Ponting noted that the National Crime Agency stated they could filter the results from these sites, but it could still result in a high volume of findings and require a significant amount of officer time to process.

Initial inquiries provided officers with a general profile for the man, suggesting his age and build were between 30 and 60 years old, approximately 6ft (1.83m) tall, and weighing between 202lbs and 220lbs (91.5kg to 99.5kg), and that he was of white European descent. However, in written evidence, forensic orthodontist Dr Sally Andrew stated that based on her examination of his teeth and jaw, the man "may not have been of white ethnicity."

The hearing also mentioned that an examination of a tag on the wetsuit revealed markings that could potentially be a name, but scientific support officers were unable to enhance those markings. The inquest was adjourned pending the completion of the test on the liver sample.