Australian Federal Police launch new campaign to crack decades-old missing persons mysteries

It’s the baffling case of an unidentified and fully clothed man found on an SA beach decades ago – and it’s not the Somerton Man.

The mysterious case of an unidentified and fully clothed man found on a South Australian beach almost 60 years ago will be a focus of a new police campaign.

The can you solve the case? campaign will focus on eight cases involving unidentified human remains, with police appealing for help to solve what they have dubbed the “Kings Beach Case” and the “Mount Osmond Case”.

The mystery man’s body was found at Kings Beach, west of Victor Harbor, on October 4, 1964, with his identity still unknown to police.

The man, who police believe was about 50 years old when he died, was found fully clothed on the beach.

He had no upper teeth and only eight teeth in the front row of his lower jaw.

A post-mortem depiction of a man found on Kings Beach, near Victor Harbor, in October 1964. Picture: Australian Federal Police

His case is one of two in South Australia, and eight across the country, which will be the focus of a new Australian Federal Police campaign launched today as part of National Missing Persons Week.

He was of caucasian appearance and had brown hair, which was greying and receding on his forehead.

Police said he was wearing an olive-green tweed sports coat, dark grey trousers, a khaki V-neck pullover, a white T-shirt and black leather ripple-soled shoes.

Another South Australian mystery almost 50 years old will also be under the microscope.

On April 10, 1975, the skeletal remains of a middle-aged man of European ancestry were found in scrub on Mount Osmond Rd at Mount Osmond.

The remains of an airmail letter written in Yugoslavian were found in the man’s grey sports coat along with a St Anthony medallion on a fine gold chain, a gold watch and a key.

Police believe the man died up to two years before his remains were found.

The campaign will also focus on one case each from Victoria, News South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Hans Koenderink said the unidentified remains belonged to “unknown individuals who have names, families and stories that deserve to be told”.

“For these loved ones, living with the uncertainty about the whereabouts and safety of a loved one can be a traumatic experience that can last for weeks, months or, sadly, years,” he said.

“The community plays a critical role in helping police with information that can help to solve a missing persons case.

There are currently 750 unidentified human remains and 2500 long term missing persons cases across Australia.

In 2022, more than 55,000 missing persons reports were made to police at a rate of more than 150 reports per day.