Human remains found 40 years ago identified as member of The O’Jays R&B band

(CNN) — Partial quality remains recovered successful a garbage container nearly 40 years ago have been identified arsenic belonging to Frank “Frankie” Little Jr, a subordinate of the R&B set The O’Jays, according to police.

The Twinsburg Police Department successful Ohio announced the quality connected Tuesday, saying DNA from relatives was utilized to assistance place the remains recovered connected February 18, 1982. Police said that not overmuch is known astir Little’s disappearance and death.

Little was raised successful Cleveland, according to the quality release. In the mid-’60s, helium was a guitarist and songwriter for The O’Jays. The set released a connection to CNN saying that helium was portion of the set successful the aboriginal days and that they haven’t heard from him since.

“He came with america erstwhile we archetypal ventured retired of Cleveland and traveled to Los Angeles, but helium besides was successful emotion with a pistillate successful Cleveland that helium missed truthful overmuch that helium soon returned backmost to Cleveland aft a abbreviated magnitude of time,” reads the statement.

They “wish his household and friends closure to what appears to beryllium a precise bittersweet story,” the connection said.

Little served 2 years successful the US Army, which included a deployment during the Vietnam War, according to the quality release. He had a girl who passed distant successful 2012, according to the quality release, and helium has a lad who has not yet been located oregon identified.

Discovery of remains successful a bag

The partial remains were recovered successful a garbage container down a now-closed concern successful Twinsburg, according to police. A idiosyncratic astatine the concern discovered a skull successful the snow, according to CNN affiliate WEWS, past constabulary discovered the bag.

It is believed that the bones were a mates of years aged and showed signs of blunt unit trauma, according to WEWS. Police ruled the mode of decease a homicide. It was besides noted that the remains belonged to an African-American male, 20 to 35 years of age, astir 5’6″ tall, and that helium whitethorn person had teen kyphosis, a curvature of the spine.

But the individuality of who they belonged to remained a enigma for astir 40 years until a concern with the DNA Doe Project started successful October. The enactment provided names of imaginable relatives, who gave constabulary Little’s sanction and a DNA sample.

That illustration was analyzed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation transgression lab, and Little’s individuality was past confirmed by Dr. Lisa Kohler of the Summit County Medical Examiner Office.

“It’s decidedly bully that we tin springiness immoderate answers to the household and hopefully they person immoderate consciousness of closure,” Twinsburg Detective Eric Hendershott told WEWS. “He had a life, and yet helium ended up present successful Twinsburg, with his beingness taken by another.”

It is believed that Little was past known to beryllium live successful the mid-1970s, according to police, and resided successful Cleveland, astir 24 miles distant from wherever the remains were discovered.

Police are continuing to analyse the lawsuit to find what happened to Little. His remains volition beryllium fixed to relatives for burial.