BIXBY, Okla. – Bixby police have identified a man who was found dead in the Arkansas River in September 2022, nearly four years after investigators initially recovered his remains without identification.
Rudolf “Rudy” Von Koerner was identified through a lengthy investigation that included forensic genetic genealogy, family research, tattoo comparisons and prior medical records. Investigators said the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.
Investigators turn to genetic genealogy
When Von Koerner was recovered from the Arkansas River, he had no identification or other information that immediately established who he was.
Investigators used fingerprint searches, public appeals and examinations of his distinctive tattoos in an effort to determine his identity. Those efforts did not produce an answer…