Human Remains Found in Tennessee Identified as Michigan Man Missing for Over 20 Years

Authorities in Tennessee have confirmed that human remains discovered in 2020 belong to a Michigan-born man who had been missing for more than two decades.

The Knox County Regional Forensic Center announced this month that the remains have been identified as Gerald J. Forsman, originally from Livonia, Michigan. Forsman was last seen by family members over 22 years ago.

On May 20, 2020, skeletal remains were found in a wooded area near a residence on Overbrook Drive in Knoxville. The remains were transported to the forensic center for examination. At the time, experts determined that the remains belonged to a man between the ages of 55 and 70, but both his cause of death and identity remained unknown.

Despite extensive efforts, “all conventional means of forensic identification failed,” officials said.

In 2023, investigators turned to Othram, a Texas-based private lab that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy. Using advanced DNA testing, Othram scientists developed potential family connections to individuals in Michigan.

By August 2025, the breakthrough came. Family members provided DNA samples for comparison, confirming the remains as those of Gerald J. Forsman, born February 27, 1958. Forsman was 45 years old when he disappeared and had reportedly been living in Knoxville at the time, though the circumstances of his disappearance remain unclear.

One relative told investigators they had not seen Forsman in 22 years, underscoring the long and painful absence endured by his loved ones.

The forensic center noted that the testing was made possible through funding secured by U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett in 2024 via the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

“This is the eighth cold case solved through this initiative,” the center stated, adding that this marks the 26th case in Tennessee where unidentified remains were solved with Othram’s technology.

While Forsman’s cause of death has still not been determined, the identification brings long-awaited answers to his family after decades of uncertainty. The Knox County Forensic Center expressed gratitude to all agencies involved, emphasizing the critical role forensic genealogy now plays in solving cold cases once thought unsolvable.