Body of 84-year-old man identified more than 31 years after being found floating near Florida bridge

Police in central Florida have identified the body of a man whose remains were first discovered over 31 years ago, using advanced DNA tests that led them to his relatives.

Edman Eric Gleed had been listed as missing from Fairfax County, Virginia, by his son at the time of his death, the Clearwater Police Department said when they shared his identity Monday. He was 84.

Previously, Gleed had been known to law enforcement as “Pinellas County John Doe 1993,” since his body was found floating near a bridge in Clearwater, which is in Pinellas County outside of Tampa Bay, on Nov. 29, 1993.

Clearwater police said Gleed’s body was found without identification, and a folded pile of clothing near a lifeguard stand on the shore held no clues, either. The autopsy later conducted to determine a cause and manner of death was inconclusive, but the medical examiner did not suspect foul play, according to police.

More than 31 years ago, the body of an unidentified man was found floating near the Clearwater Pass bridge. For all…

Posted by Clearwater Police Department on Monday, June 2, 2025

Recently, samples of the then-unidentified man’s DNA were collected again and submitted for testing to the nonprofit Moxxy Forensic Investigations, which analyzed them using investigative genetic genealogy. That technique aims to solve cold cases by matching an unknown person’s DNA to their potential family members.

The monthslong genealogical search uncovered connections to an 18th-century couple from Bristol, England, which allowed forensic investigators “to develop a candidate for the identity” of the man eventually confirmed to be Gleed, Clearwater police said. Gleed’s identify was verified with a comparison sample from his son, who is now 94 and living in North Carolina.

“We are happy that we are able to provide the family some answers and some closure as to what happened with their loved one,” Clearwater’s deputy police chief Michael Walek said in a statement.

In a separate statement, Ed Adams, the assistant on Gleed’s case at Moxxy Forensic Investigations, said the case “has been close to the hearts of everyone on the team.”

“We are all honored to have played a part in returning Edman Gleed to his family,” Adams said.

Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social and criminal justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.