A Isle of Man found frozen in a cave in Pennsylvania , USA , has been identify by say-so , 47 years after his death .

On a bitterly cold solar day on the Appalachian track in January , 1977 , two tramp stumbled across the quick-frozen body of a man in a cave , just below a hiking surface area known as the " Pinnacle " . Despite attempts to identify him using fingerprints and dental records , his personal identity remained a mystery for decades , and he became refer to as the " Pinnacle serviceman " , referring to where he was found .

More recent attempts have been made to discover the organic structure , including exhumation in parliamentary procedure to pull up DNAfive age ago , and to reach a facial reconstructive memory , but no matches were discover and the skull was found to betoo damagedto make a bust or sketch reconstruction . Then , in August , a Pennsylvania police detective make do to track down fingerprints contain from the valet de chambre when his body was first find out , butthought to be lostin the intervening years . Submitting the fingerprints to NamUs , a lack person database , the FBI found a mates in less than an hour .

" There is no greater closure then to give a name to those who can not tell their own story and to make certain they find their manner back home to their loved ones , " Berks County Coroner ’s Officewrote on Facebook . " After 47 year John Doe ' Pinnacle Man ' has been identify as Nicolas Paul Grubb , 27 twelvemonth old of Fort Washington , Montgomery County . "

Grubb , 27 at time of his demise , served with Company C , 1/111th Infantry of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard , before encounter an estimable discharge in 1971 . Initial post - mortem put the campaign of dying as anoverdoseof phenobarbital and pentobarbital , but the exact circumstances around his death continue a mystery . harmonize to the constabulary , he was found in light-colored clothing despite the blow on the ground and cold weather condition , and appeared to have attempt to get a fire within the cave .

“ The rest of it is still a dubiousness mark for us , ” George Holmes , chief lieutenant of the medical examiner ’s situation , said .

Grubb ’s sept have been inform , with the medical examiner ’s office adding that they had been " very appreciative " of the continued probe into his death .