After losing contact in 1977, family reunited with remains of Akron man who died in 2024
A 71-year-old man found dead in an Akron home in August 2024 has been reunited with his family, according to a Facebook post from the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office. They last had contact with him in the late 1970s
The medical examiner's office originally sought assistance in locating family for Randy Lee Brown when his decomposed body was discovered at his residence in the 1100 block of LaCroix Avenue, Gary Guenther, chief investigator of the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office, said. Guenther said he lived there alone at the time.
Officials received a tip that Brown was originally from Colorado and may still have family that lived there. The medical examiner's office worked with Colorado law enforcement, and determined that Brown's family filed a missing person report in June 2024. The family indicated they last had contact with him in 1977.
"For years, they were left wondering about his whereabouts," the Facebook post read.
The medical examiner's office determined Brown moved to San Jose, California after leaving Colorado, and eventually moved to Akron in the late 1980s to early 1990s.
Brown's sister submitted a DNA sample and in March 2025, a positive match of the samples was made at the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The family is currently working with the medical examiner's office to determine what to do with Brown's remains.
Officials are still investigating Brown's cause of death, Guenther confirmed.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Family reunites with Randy Lee Brown, Akron man who died in 2024
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