Indiana State Police ask for public’s assistance in cold case investigation

In January 1998, a state highway employee found skeletal remains along Fruitridge Avenue near the Interstate 70 overpass in Vigo County.

Over the past 26 years, several investigative techniques and many hours have been spent trying to identify the skeletal remains, without success. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) and were sent to LSU (Louisiana State University) where they developed a forensic facial reconstruction and released it to the public in hopes the remains could be identified.

In 2023, the Vigo County Coroner’s Office in conjunction with Indiana State Police and the University of Indianapolis, submitted forensic evidence to Othram, a corporation specializing in forensic genetic genealogy, in hopes that advanced DNA would assist in identification of the unknown skeletal remains. Othram was able to develop a DNA profile producing new investigative leads.

Detectives with the Indiana State Police Cold Case Team contacted potential family members of the unidentified human remains. Additional DNA testing and investigative efforts have now identified the skeletal remains as Mitchell Preston of Anderson, Ind. He was last seen in August 1997 in Anderson and was 47 years old at the time of his disappearance. He was on foot and traveling to California.

Although Indiana State Police Detectives are pleased to bring some closure to Preston’s family, they are asking for the public’s assistance for anyone who may have seen him or have any knowledge of what might have happened to him.

Anyone with information should call Indiana State Police Cold Case Team Trooper Detective Brad Miller at 1-800-225-8576. This is an active investigation, and all tips will be investigated and can remain anonymous.