New DNA evidence has helped Ventura County cold case investigators solve part of the four decade old mystery into a death. In February of 1981, hikers discovered the partial skeletal remains of a person off of Highway 33 north of Ojai.
At the time, investigators were unable to identify the remains.In 2004, an attempt using DNA evidence failed to ID the person. But, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office and Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives recently tried again, using advanced DNA technology.
They were able to connect it to a relative of the man, who was identified as Thomas Aquinas Cooney, from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
They now know Cooney was 31, a Vietnam War veteran and Bronze Star recipient. But, the relative hadn’t seen him in decades. Little else is known about Cooney's life, or how he died. Detectives hope identifying Cooney may lead to some answers.
