Nicholas Paul Grubb dies in Pennsylvania after nearly 50 years as an unidentified man
Nicholas Paul Grubb dies in Pennsylvania after nearly 50 years as an unidentified man
Fatal Pennsylvania mystery solved with identification of Nicholas Paul Grubb – Obituary.
The decades-old mystery of a man found frozen in a Pennsylvania cave has finally been resolved. After almost 50 years, the Berks County Coroner’s Office has identified the remains as belonging to 27-year-old Nicholas Paul Grubb, originally from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
Known for years as the “Pinnacle Man,” Grubb earned this nickname due to the Appalachian mountain peak near where his body was discovered by two hikers on January 16, 1977. Despite an autopsy revealing no signs of foul play, authorities concluded that Grubb had died from a drug overdose, as reported by The New York Times.
However, investigators were unable to identify Grubb at the time. His appearance, clothing, personal items, and dental records provided no leads, and his fingerprints, which had been collected during the examination, were later lost, leaving authorities with only a rough sketch of his face.
According to Berks County Coroner John Fielding, detectives from the state police and the coroner’s office had revisited the case multiple times over the past 15 years. They compared the available information against at least 10 different missing persons cases using fingerprints and dental X-rays.
In August 2019, Grubb’s body was exhumed after dental records suggested a link to missing person cases in Florida and Illinois. His remains were sent to Reading Hospital, where a team of forensic experts, including an anthropologist, pathologist, and odontologist, conducted further examinations.
Although the DNA samples did not match either of the missing person cases, a breakthrough occurred in August 2024 when Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Ian Keck found Grubb’s missing fingerprint records. Within an hour of submitting them to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), an FBI fingerprint expert identified the prints as Grubb’s.
A family member later confirmed Grubb’s identity, requesting that his remains be buried in a family plot.
“This identification brings long-awaited closure to his family, who have been notified and deeply appreciate the collective efforts that made this possible,” said Fielding. “Moments like these remind us of the importance of our work in providing answers, bringing closure, and giving the unidentified a name and a story.”
Nicholas Paul Grubb dies in Pennsylvania after nearly 50 years as an unidentified man Fatal Pennsylvania mystery solved with identification of Nicholas Paul Grubb – Obituary. The decades-old mystery of a man found frozen in a Pennsylvania cave has finally been resolved. After almost 50 years, the Berks County Coroner’s Office has identified the remains…
Nicholas Paul Grubb dies in Pennsylvania after nearly 50 years as an unidentified man Fatal Pennsylvania mystery solved with identification of Nicholas Paul Grubb – Obituary. The decades-old mystery of a man found frozen in a Pennsylvania cave has finally been resolved. After almost 50 years, the Berks County Coroner’s Office has identified the remains…