Bethlehem police finally identify body found in 1981

After 41 years, Bethlehem Police have identified a body found at the Double V Stables in 1981. They say he is 41-year-old Franklin Feldman.

His name is Franklin Feldman of Massachusetts.

On April 3, 1981, a farmer discovered his body. It was in an advanced state of decomposition. They couldn’t pull fingerprints. He had no identification on him, and an autopsy was not helpful.

Now, 41 years later, all that remained for investigators to work with was the man’s jaws. They were miraculously still stored in an area dentists office in Ballston Lake.

We’ve all heard about how DNA and investigative genetic genealogy has been able to solve cold cases around the country. Despite some initial hurdles, Commander Adam Hornick of the Bethlehem PD was able to use that technology to locate relatives of Feldman still living in Massachusetts.

Bethlehem police say this is the first Capital Region case to be solved through investigative genetic genealogy.

Learn about how all that technology came together to solve the case, by watching the video of Jerry Gretzinger’s story.

DIGITAL EXTRA: Full news conference with Bethlehem police