County officials are searching for the family of a homeless man found 30 years ago.
Through fingerprint analysis, the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified Ian Shepherd, a 40-year-old homeless man whose body turned up near a boxcar on July 18, 1994.
The boxcar, located between Reed Street and De la Cruz Boulevard in Santa Clara, likely came from Milpitas or Oakland, according to a press release Sept. 9, 2024.
The coroner’s office IDed Shepherd through a systematic review of unidentified cases to ensure additional investigative steps are taken, including resubmission of fingerprints. With greater database access and technological enhancements, fingerprints that may have previously failed to return matches may now result in a match, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Passersby discovered Shepard’s naked body, covered with a light-colored blanket and lying atop a blue aluminum sheet or blanket. The medical examiner has been unable to determine the cause of death.
At the time of his death, Shepard was thin and stood 6’1” inches tall. He was white with dark gray-brown hair that was roughly 10 inches long. He had a short mustache and a full gray beard roughly four inches long. His teeth were natural.
In addition to a possible nitroglycerin prescription, the following clothes were also found in the boxcar: a pair of red pants, a pair of green pants, a sock, a dark green or black duffel bag and a large pair of dark tennis shoes.
Despite extensive efforts, the medical examiner’s office has been unable to locate Shepherd’s family.
Anyone with information that could assist county officials in locating Shepherd’s family should contact the medical examiner’s investigations unit at (408) 793-1900, ext. 3.
Other Cold Cases:
1979 Sunnyvale Cold Case Homicide Solved
1982 Sunnyvale Cold Case Arrest Made
Santa Clara Cold Case: Mathew Flores, 1994
Santa Clara Cold Case: Christopher F. DePasquale, 1981
