Josh Mankiewicz covered the June 1998 disappearance of 23-year-old Marcus Rutledge from Nashville, Tennessee, as part of the third season of Dateline’s Missing in America podcast in the summer of 2024.
“Do you think this case will be solved someday?” Mankiewicz asked Detective Matthew Filter, a cold case detective with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
The cold case investigator’s response was straightforward: He hopes so.
In the podcast, Det. Filter stated, “I would definitely like to get the family some answers, even if I can’t bring anybody to justice, just to give them some answers about what happened.”
After more than 25 years, they finally have some answers in February 2025.
Although it has taken some time, the Metro Nashville Police Department provided forensic evidence to Ottram Labs in 2023 in order to assist in the identification of a John Doe.
On December 8, 2010, a hunter discovered a skull in the woods approximately 30 yards off Pecan Valley Road close to Nashville’s Highway 12. The Metro Nashville PDcold case webpage states that despite searching the area, no additional bone remains were found. The John Doe, who came to be known as the Pecan Valley John Doe, died from an unspecified cause.
The Medical Examiner’s office successfully extracted DNA from the skull and sent it to CODIS, according to local NBC station WSMV. Investigators, however, looked to Othram after 13 years with no answers and few leads to follow. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team was able to conduct a genealogical search and generate fresh leads regarding the man’s identification after Othram scientists employed Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing to create a thorough DNA profile, according to their website.
Investigators started a follow-up inquiry with these fresh leads and discovered potential family members. The Pecan Valley John Doe was later identified by investigators after they received a different lead. They discovered that Marcus Rutledge, a 23-year-old student at Tennessee State University who had been missing since 1998, was the owner of the remains.
The Metro Nashville Police Department’s media release states that foul play is suspected in Rutledge’s disappearance.
Marcus’s family still doesn’t know what happened to him or why, even though they now have some answers about where he is.
The investigation is still ongoing, according to the MNPD.
Please contact the Metro Nashville Police Department Cold Case Unit at 615-862-7329 if you have any information regarding Marcus’ case.
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