His watery grave has revealed few secrets.
The story behind the red-haired dead man with foot-long scars on his stomach, back and shoulder blade and a sea-going tattoo on his arm remains a mystery dating back nearly 16 years.
It was Sunday, Sept. 7, 2003 when the body of the man who would later be called “Maritime John Doe” was found in the ocean about 5 miles east and 3 miles north of the Boynton Inlet.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday released a new sketch of the man in the hopes of turning up information that will lead to his identity.
After being found, his body was autopsied and the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office found no significant trauma.
Investigators estimated that the body had been in the water for less than 24 hours and think it may have entered the water in Broward or Miami-Dade county and floated to the north.
At the time he was found, Maritime John Doe was believed to be between 65 and 75-years-old, weighing about 160 pounds and having red hair. He had been wearing a white T-shirt, white polo shirt with black and brown pin stripes on the border of the sleeves and neckline, khaki pants, blue underwear, brown socks, no shoes and had a brown, weaved leather belt.
Additionally, he was found to have two scars on this stomach — a 12-inch scar and a 3-inch scar next to it. He also had 12-inch scars on his back and left shoulder blade.
One significant key to the identity of Maritime John Doe may be the distinctive tattoo on his right forearm — possibly an anchor or some type of Navy tattoo.
“We are attempting to determine its origin [or] meaning to help with identification,” sheriff’s office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.
Investigators ask anyone with information to contact PBSO Detective John Cogburn at 561-688-4063 or by email at cogburnj@pbso.org,
Tips can also be phoned, anonymously, to Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers at 800-458-8477.