Cold Case Breakthrough After 56 Years: 1970 Allegany County Victim Identified as Clyde A. Coppage Through DNA.

Cold Case Breakthrough After 56 Years, 1970 Allegany County Victim Identified as Clyde A. Coppage Through DNA.

After more than five decades of unanswered questions, investigators have finally identified a man whose body was discovered in a disturbing 1970 case in western New York. Authorities announced that the victim found on March 20, 1970, along Davis Hill Road in the Town of Andover has now been identified as Clyde A. Coppage.

According to the New York State Police, the victim’s body was discovered without a head or hands in Allegany County. The shocking discovery left investigators with few clues, making identification extremely difficult at the time. Despite extensive efforts and numerous investigative leads over the years, authorities were unable to determine who the victim was, leaving the case unresolved for decades.

In a renewed effort to solve the mystery, officials authorized the exhumation of the victim’s remains on June 7, 2022. The process allowed forensic specialists to collect DNA evidence that could potentially identify the man. Working alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation, investigators used advanced forensic genetic technology to analyze the DNA sample.

Through these efforts, the victim was ultimately identified as Clyde A. Coppage, who was 35 years old at the time of his death. Authorities determined that Coppage had been living in Genesee when he disappeared. Investigators also revealed that he was not originally from the area and, notably, had never been officially reported missing.

While identifying Coppage brings long-awaited clarity to the case, many questions still remain unanswered. Authorities say the investigation into his death is still open and active as detectives continue working to determine what happened to him more than 50 years ago.