CLEVELAND, OH – Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas P. Gilson, in collaboration with the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), announced the decedent found on November 14, 2023, has been positively identified as 27-year-old Nathaniel Dabrowski of Brooklyn, Ohio.

“It is always satisfying to identify an individual after a period of time has passed. It provides closure to families, and I would like to thank the many members of the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office and the Ohio BCI staff for their efforts and support. We never stop trying to reunite our unknown decedents with their families. On behalf of everyone involved, we offer our condolences to the Dabrowski family,” said Dr. Gilson.

Investigation Timeline:

• November 14, 2023: Unidentified white male found by Brooklyn Police Department on railroad tracks, in the vicinity of 5110 Tiedeman Road. No apparent foul play is suspected.
• November 2023 – April 2025: Investigators from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office (CCMEO) research missing persons reports from multiple local and state municipalities. Additionally, the investigation expands to hotels, schools, community centers, and incoming leads.
• December 15, 2023: DNA is extracted and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) – a national database that compares new DNA profiles entered against profiles already in the system. CODIS returned no hits.
• December 28, 2023: CCMEO contacted BCI to create a bulletin for distribution to the public. BCI issues a public bulletin seeking assistance from the public to identify the decedent. The bulletin includes a post-mortem image to assist with the search.
• March 29, 2024: Extracted DNA submitted to the DNA Doe Project for Forensic Genetic Genealogy testing and expected to take several months.
• May 20, 2024: The cause of death is ruled craniofacial blunt force injuries.
• April 24, 2025: A family member of the decedent contacts CCMEO to see if the decedent is a familial match.
• April 25, 2025: Positive ID confirmed through x-rays to match Nathaniel Dabrowski.

“An identity restored cannot bring a loved one back, but it can provide a measure of closure amid the search for answers,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “My thanks to the dedicated investigators who used every tool at their disposal to reunite Nathaniel with his family.”