A murder victim whose body was found near a lava cave off Highway 180 in 2020 has been identified with the help of a private genealogy research institute, according to a Coconino County sheriff’s deputy. It says.
In October 2020, the body of a man was found in a shallow grave north of Flagstaff, and the Coconino County coroner’s office quickly determined he was most likely murdered.
The victim has now been identified as David Clarke Wilkinson. Wilkinson was 56 when he disappeared. He was known to have been in northern Arizona at the time, and the CCSO issued a missing persons leaflet aimed at finding him.
According to a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office press release, Wilkinson’s DNA was collected when the body was found in May 2021 and sent to a private forensic genealogy laboratory.
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In January 2023, a private company traced Mr. Wilkinson’s DNA to a specific family tree, where “one member could not be identified or explained,” he said.
Now that investigators have identified Wilkinson, they are hoping the public will work with them to generate new leads in the murder investigation.
Wilkinson was a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing about 165 pounds. He was graying, graying, and taking classes. Agents said Wilkinson may have been traveling with a dog or two in a 1997 Toyota Paseo in the summer of 2020.
CCSO invites anyone who may have information about the incident to contact them at 928-774-4523.
Sierra Ferguson can be reached at sierra.ferguson@lee.net.
