Cold Case Victim Identified After Two Decades Using New Forensic Technology
Authorities have finally identified the remains of a man found murdered outside a Birmingham hospital in 2002, thanks to advancements in forensic genetic genealogy. The victim, now confirmed as Moneyham, had been missing for over two decades before his remains were discovered.
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On March 20, 2002, skeletal remains were found wrapped in bed linens in a heavily wooded area near the entrance of Carraway Methodist Medical Center. Investigators determined that the remains belonged to an adult male, estimated to be in his mid-30s, standing between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall. The condition of the fabrics and the presence of intertwined roots suggested the body had been at the location for multiple growing seasons. Clothing remnants included blue jeans and a patterned shirt, with U.S. coins in the pockets dating back to 1999, indicating that his death likely occurred around that time.
For more than a decade, investigators struggled to identify the victim. In 2015, the case was added to the NamUs database, a national resource for missing and unidentified persons. Three years later, a DNA profile was developed and entered into the CODIS system, but no matches were found. In 2023, officials submitted a sample to Othram, Inc. for advanced forensic-grade genome sequencing. Othram’s analysis determined the victim’s ancestry to be primarily of African origin and provided leads to possible relatives spread across the country.
For the next two years, investigators attempted to contact potential family members but struggled to confirm any direct relationships. Earlier this year, a breakthrough was made when Othram identified a parent-child match. Investigators then compared this information to local missing person cases, eventually linking the remains to Moneyham. Additional testing using Othram’s KinSNP analysis confirmed the relationship, finally providing a definitive identification.
Moneyham was last seen on July 6, 1999, leaving a family home in the Wenonah Community of Birmingham. His family reported him missing four days later, concerned because he was always in regular contact. Originally from Birmingham, Moneyham had been living in Toledo, Ohio, but was in town visiting family at the time of his disappearance.
His case carried an additional layer of complexity—court records revealed that just two months before his disappearance, Moneyham had pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. He was sentenced to probation but failed to meet the required conditions, leading to a warrant being issued for his arrest on August 31, 1999. Investigators never ruled out foul play or the possibility that he disappeared to evade prosecution.
His family endured years of uncertainty, with speculation about what had happened but no concrete answers. In 2005, his niece, Tiala Moneyham, shared that he had simply stepped out to go to the store and never returned. His wife, Brenda Moneyham, also expressed the deep pain of not knowing how his story would end, saying, "We all need closure."
The identification of Moneyham marks the first time forensic genetic genealogy has been used to solve a case in Jefferson County, and it is currently being applied to three other cold cases in the area. Authorities hope these advancements will continue to bring long-awaited answers to families still searching for their missing loved ones.
