By Joseph Buczek

    PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WWJ) -- After 28 years, skeletal remains found in a Plymouth Township, Michigan, field have been identified as belonging to a Detroit man.

Othram Inc., a Texas-based company that worked with police in identifying the remains, said the victim has been identified as Benjamin Harrison Fountain.

In May 1997, skeletal remains were found in a field off Haggerty Road when a man interested in buying the property spotted a piece of rolled-up carpet while surveying the land, according to Othram. Human skeletal remains, jewelry and clothing were found in the carpet. At the time, police said the carpet and remains had been in the field for several years.

Investigators determined that the remains belonged to an adult man, who was about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and of a slim build. Detectives believed the man died as a result of a head injury and ruled his death a homicide.

In hopes of identifying the remains, investigators looked into the source of a gold class ring that was found on the man's body, and tested clothing and a .357 slug found with his remains.

In 2022, Plymouth Township police began working with Othram to identify the remains. Othram scientists were able to produce a DNA extract from the skeletal remains and created a DNA profile using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing, confirming the man was of African descent.

An investigation into Fountain's death continues.

Othram says the Fountain case is the 19th in Michigan, where law enforcement partnered with the company in identifying an individual.

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