Missing Persons Week: Man found dead in Guildford in 1987 has face digitally recreated

Police have released a digitally-reconstructed headshot of a man who died in 1987 and was never formally identified due to facial injuries. Do you know this man?

A digitally-reconstructed photo of a man found dead in 1987, created using only two black and white photographs from him in the morgue with serious facial injuries, has been released by NSW Police.

The man’s body was discovered just after 3pm on March 31, 1987, on the railway tracks about 200m south of the Hawkesview St Overpass in Guildford.

As a result of the facial injuries the man was never identified, leading police to release the photo for Missing Persons Week 2022.

Police believe the digitally-reconstructed image is the most accurate depiction of him yet.

Detective Chief Inspector Glen Browne, who manages the missing persons registry, said it was the first time the missing persons unit has used the technology.

“These types of images are produced only when all other means of identification have failed, yet its margin of error for much of the face is relatively small and the end result quite lifelike,” Chief Insp. Browne said.

Do you recognise this man? NSW Police released a digitally-reconstructed headshot of a dead person, never identified, after their body was found on a Guildford train track in 1987. Picture: NSW Police

“Unfortunately, the man sustained serious facial injuries when he died so this reconstruction was created by examining two monochrome post mortem images taken at the morgue in 1987.”

The man is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, aged between 50 to 55 years of age, about 170cm tall, of medium build with greying brown hair.

He was wearing black trousers, a short sleeve white shirt with red and black squares, and brown shoes, when he was last seen in 1987.

Other defining features found on the man include a silver ‘Zenith’ watch and a silver upper front tooth.

“We believe this is the most accurate depiction of what the man may have looked like prior to his death and hope its release will prompt someone to come forward with information,” Det Ch Insp Browne said.

Police do not believe his death was suspicious.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crimestoppers.

Gifted leatherman gone without a trace – Nathan Schmidt, August 4 2022

The mysterious disappearance of a gifted leatherman and father-of-two, who vanished without a trace after leaving a Darlinghurst venue, has led police on a desperate search up and down state’s coastline.

Robert ‘Bob’ Duncan, 80, was last seen on CCTV on the corner of Flinders and Oxford streets at Darlinghurst about 9.40pm on April 12, 2021.

The talented craftsman, who sold bags and belts for a living, was reported missing to NSW Police two weeks later on April 26.

Despite extensive inquiries, multiple appeals for public assistance and investigative operations across Sydney, Mr Duncan has not been seen or heard from since.

Eastern Beaches Police Area Command crime manager Detective Inspector Rodney Pistola said on Missing Persons Week police had searched interstate in areas where Mr Duncan had once lived.

Robert Duncan, 80, was last seen on CCTV outside a licensed venue in Darlinghurst on April 12.

“In our attempts to locate Bob we have made inquiries with domestic and international ports and visited northern NSW and QLD where we know he once lived and worked,” Insp. Pistola said.

“Police have also conducted an extensive search of Centennial Park and reviewed hours of CCTV from Sydney’s public transport network which he often used to get around.

“His disappearance was highly unusual as he lived a very routine life and didn’t usually venture beyond Sydney’s east – particularly Taylor Square – where he would sometimes ask for money from the public.”

Insp. Pistola called on the public to help find Mr Duncan, who leaves behind two sons.

He is described as being of caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, with a slim build, long white hair, and a white beard. He was last seen wearing a dark coloured leather jacket.

The calls come as NSW Police ramp up efforts to solve a number of missing persons cases, including with DNA sampling clinics across the state.

Anyone with information about Mr Duncan’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.