CANTON, Ohio — Attorney General Dave Yost and Stark County Sheriff George Maier announced Thursday the identification of the skeletal remains found in Stark County more than four years ago.
The skeletal remains, which officials named the Canton Oil Well Jane Doe, was identified as Michael Leach, who was born Oct. 21, 1957 and was last known to live in Dover in Tuscarawas County.
“When a unknown person is identified, dignity is restored and there is a renewal of hope for justice,” Yost said in a news release. “I commend the efforts of BCI and Sheriff Maier for restoring Michael Leach’s identity. Those who loved and knew him can now grieve their friend.”
The remains were discovered on March 31, 2020 by an oil well worker in a rural area off of Sandy Avenue in Canton, Ohio. Investigators estimated he was between 30-50 years old and had been dead since 2018.
Examiners said he had previous fractures to his ribs and was missing teeth, but the cause of death was unknown. Officials said he had skull and shoulder fractures at the time of his death.
“Identifying Michael Leach after so many years brings a sense of closure to his family and the community,” said Maier in a release. “This achievement underscores the importance of collaboration and the relentless pursuit of justice by our dedicated team and community partners. Our investigation continues, and we urge anyone with information to come forward.”
Leach would have been 61-years-old when he died.
The Stark County Sheriff's Office brought the case to the DNA Doe Project in Sept. 2023 to try and investigate the genetic genealogy of John Doe. Funding for the case was provided through a sponsorship grant from audiochuck, the parent company of the Crime Junkie podcast.
The DNA Doe Project took 105 hours to build out John Doe's family tree to locate the branch of Michael Allan Leach and confirm it through a direct DNA match.
"With Leach’s identity now known, the investigation of his death continues," a news release read. "Anyone with information should contact the Stark County Sheriff’s Office at 330-430-3823."