Remains found off I-275 in Knoxville identified after 20 years

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated after the county shared the incorrect location of where the remains were found.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ( WATE ) — The remains of an unknown man which were found off I-275 at the Woodland entrance ramp in Knoxville now have a name, Knox County announced on Monday. Advanced genetic testing and a continued search for data over the years have led to the positive identification of a man whose body was found in November 2003.

The county credited the identification of Brian A. Sanderson to the hard work of personnel at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, the Knoxville Police Department, and the University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center, among others.

The case began more than two decades ago, when on Nov. 30, 2003, a passerby discovered human remains along Interstate 275 at the Woodland entrance ramp near the railroad tracks, and the Knoxville Police Department responded. Then, an anthropology team from the University of Tennessee assisted in the recovery and examination of the remains.

Later, in 2008 officials submitted a DNA sample to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). This is the only national repository for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons’ cases.

For several years, the case lay dormant and unsolved, but the person’s remains were not forgotten.

In 2017, the Knox County RFC took possession of the remains to conduct its own investigation and evaluation. An RFC anthropologist then determined that the remains belonged to a white male estimated to be 5 feet to 5 feet, 2 inches tall, and between 40 and 60 years old.

In late 2022, the Knox County RFC contacted Othram, a company that specializes in cold cases through DNA analysis and traditional genealogy. Othram – with the help of a federal grant secured by U.S. Rep Tim Burchett – matched the information to Sanderson.

Knox County’s announcement on Monday didn’t share any additional information about Sanderson, only that the RFC is continuing to work to identify every decedent and connect them with their next of kin so that their families have closure.

“I want to thank everyone involved, particularly our own Regional Forensic Center, which is an incredible county asset,” Glenn Jacobs, Knox County Mayor, stated in Monday’s release. “The staff is skilled and I’m grateful for the care they put into the job they do. They always work to make sure no one is forgotten or neglected.”

Authorities say nearly 400 people go missing in Tennessee each year. That’s five people for every 100,000. Check this list of people missing from East Tennessee to see if you can help locate someone.

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