The unidentified man found in Mantua Creek (1990)

A body in Mantua Creek

The state police record says the man was found on January 30, 1990, in Mantua Creek in West Deptford Township, Gloucester County. His listing carries two case numbers, MCU900031 and H02590-13, along with NIC number U405702826. The listing estimates that he died in November or December 1989, one to three months before he was found.

What the record describes

The listing describes a Black man, 35 to 45 years old, 6 feet 2 to 6 feet 3 inches tall and 155 to 165 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was slender, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and wore a close, full beard and mustache. Examiners also recorded badly worn-down teeth, chronic lung disease, bunions, fallen arches, and what the listing calls an “out step” of the feet.

His clothing is described in detail. He wore a maroon wool overcoat that reached three-quarters of the way down and a black suede waist-length jacket labeled “Blazers by Ampus,” size 38L. Under those he had a sleeveless red V-neck sweater, and on his feet were low-cut black and gray “Trax” running shoes, size 10. A pack of Kool Super Long cigarettes was in his coat. Fingerprints and dental records are available for comparison.

What remains unknown

The listing gives no name, no cause of death, and no account of how he came to be in the creek. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Jersey State Police at 1-800-709-7090 or missingp@gw.njsp.org, or the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at 856-384-5500, the contacts given on the official case page.