MOSS POINT, Miss. (WKRG) — Jackson County Investigators have identified the skeletal remains found in a wooded area near East Street in Moss Point close to the Escatawpa River. The remains were confirmed to be a man who had been missing since 2015.
54-year-old Aaron McGraw was reported missing in May 2015 in the Gulfport area.
Once the remains were found, they were collected by the Mississippi State Crime Lab. The crime lab then sent samples to Othram Inc. in Woodlands, Texas for DNA comparison. This was possible with the help of a private donor.
Othram Inc. then conducted genealogical research and identified a possible relative in Michigan. Matthew Hoggart, a former investigator and an instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, contacted the relative and arranged a collection of DNA for comparison. After testing the relative’s DNA, Othram confirmed the relative is a biological sibling.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department says McGraw had a history of mental illness and was known to sleep in the woods. No foul play is suspect in his death.