Cold Case Closure: Remains Found on Appalachian Trail Identified as Missing Man

After nearly 50 years of mystery, human remains discovered on the Appalachian Trail in Berks County, Pennsylvania, have been positively identified as those of Nicholas Paul Grubb, a young man who vanished in 1977.

Officials in Berks County, Pennsylvania, have finally identified human remains found in a cave on the Appalachian Trail nearly 50 years ago. Through a meticulous investigation involving various agencies and advanced forensic techniques, the Berks County Coroner's Office has confirmed that the remains belong to Nicolas Paul Grubb, a 27-year-old man who disappeared from the trail on January 16, 1977.

Cold Case Closure: Remains Found on Appalachian Trail Identified as Missing Man

According to Berks County Coroner John A. Fielding III, hikers stumbled upon the remains in a cave near The Pinnacle. For decades, the identity of the deceased remained a puzzle, with investigators pursuing various avenues to unravel the mystery.

"For 47 years, this man remained unidentified, a nameless figure in a long-forgotten case," Fielding said. "But today, I am honored to announce that through the unyielding determination of federal, state, and local agencies, the Berks County Coroner's Office has confirmed the identity of this individual. His name is Nicolas Paul Grubb, a 27-year-old man from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania."

Cold Case Closure: Remains Found on Appalachian Trail Identified as Missing Man

Investigators initially believed Grubb had met with foul play, but their suspicions were later dispelled. Examination of the remains revealed that Grubb likely overdosed on Phenobarbital and Pentobarbital, indicating that he had taken his own life.

Investigators spent years attempting to identify the remains by comparing them to various missing persons databases. In 2019, in an attempt to accelerate the process, Grubb's remains were exhumed from a cemetery in Berks County for genealogical analysis. However, this approach also failed to yield results.

Cold Case Closure: Remains Found on Appalachian Trail Identified as Missing Man

Despite the setbacks, investigators refused to give up. They continued to compare Grubb's remains to unidentified persons, hoping for a breakthrough. In a decisive moment, the Berks County Coroner's Office submitted the original fingerprint card associated with Grubb's disappearance to a national database for missing unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Within an hour of receiving the evidence, an FBI expert matched a fingerprint card to Nicolas Paul Grubb, finally providing the missing link.

"This identification brings a long-awaited resolution to his family, who have been notified and expressed their deep appreciation for the collective efforts that made it possible," Fielding said. "It is moments like these that remind us of the importance of our work to provide answers, to bring closure, and to give the unidentified a name and a story."

Fielding also revealed that Grubb had served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in the early 1970s and had briefly lived in Colorado before his disappearance.