Additional Coverage:
Nearly 50 years after discovering a man’s frozen body in a cave along the Appalachian Trail, Pennsylvania authorities have finally identified him as “Pinnacle Man.” The Berks County Coroner’s Office announced last week that the man was Nicolas Paul Grubb, a 27-year-old from Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Grubb had served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard during the early 1970s.
On January 16, 1977, two hikers found Grubb’s body near the Pinnacle, a notable point along the Blue Mountain ridge approximately 65 miles northwest of Grubb’s hometown. Authorities believe he had died several days before his body was found.
At the time, an autopsy concluded that Grubb’s death was a suicide resulting from a drug overdose. His fingerprints were collected, but he remained unnamed and was buried in Berks County in southeast Pennsylvania.
For over four decades, the case saw no significant advancements. “The man remained unidentified—a nameless figure in a long-forgotten case,” said Berks County Coroner John A. Fielding III during a press conference.
Efforts intensified in the past five years with state and federal agencies collaborating to solve the case. In 2019, Grubb’s body was exhumed to collect DNA samples, though the results were inconclusive. Following this, genealogical testing was conducted but also failed to provide any leads.
An attempt to recreate Grubb’s face for reidentification was thwarted as the skull was not intact enough for facial reconstruction. With no further options, it appeared the case would remain unsolved. “We were very disappointed,” said George Holmes, chief deputy of the Berks County Coroner’s Office, at a news conference.
The breakthrough in the case came unexpectedly in August, thanks to diligent police work rather than advanced forensic technology. A Pennsylvania State Police trooper rediscovered the original fingerprints taken after Grubb’s body was found.
These prints, which had been misplaced in case files for decades, were sent to the FBI, where an analyst matched them to prints from an arrest in Colorado in 1975. “It was good, old-fashioned police work,” Holmes stated.
The coroner’s office and the police soon located a family member of Grubb, who confirmed his identity and provided additional documents and photos. “It’s 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 expressed.
While the identification of Nicolas Paul Grubb closes a chapter, many questions about his life and the circumstances leading to his death in the cave remain. Holmes noted there was no indication of foul play and that Grubb had been in a challenging and rocky area, possibly seeking shelter.
He had light clothing and had attempted to start a fire, but beyond that, much about Grubb’s final days continues to be unknown. Holmes concluded, “That’s all we really know from the scene, so the rest of it is still a question mark for us.”