The Indiana State Police has issued a request for community members with information regarding a 1998 cold case to report any relevant information that may aid in solving the case.
The department stated that in January 1998, a state highway employee located skeletal remains along Fruitridge Avenue near the I-70 overpass in Vigo County, and over the past 26 years, several investigative techniques and numerous hours were dedicated to the identification of the remains without success.
The department reported that the details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and were sent to Louisiana State University where a forensic facial reconstruction was developed and released to the public in an attempt to identify the victim.
In 2023, the Vigo Coroner’s Office, in conjunction with the Indiana State Police and the University of Indianapolis, submitted forensic evidence to Othram, which is a corporation that specializes in forensic genetic genealogy. The submission was finalized in an attempt to utilize advanced DNA processing to assist in the identification of the unknown skeletal remains, and Othram was reportedly successful in developing a DNA profile that produced new investigative leads.
Detectives with the Indiana State Police Cold Case Team reportedly contacted the potential family members of the unidentified human remains as additional DNA testing and investigative efforts were deployed. The evidence gathered through the efforts led the investigators to identify the skeletal remains as Mitchell Preston of Anderson, Indiana. Preston was reportedly last seen in August 1997 in Anderson, Indiana and was 47-years-old at the time of his disappearance. Preston was reportedly on foot and traveling to California.
“Although Indiana State Police Detectives are pleased to bring some closure for the family of Mr. Preston, they are asking for the public’s assistance for anyone who may have seen Mr. Preston or have any knowledge of what might have happened to him,” the department released.
Community members with information regarding the case are encouraged to contact Indiana State Police Cold Case Team Trooper Detective Brad Miller at 800-225-8576. The investigation remains active, and all tips are expected to be investigated and may remain anonymous.