Police release new image in bid to solve 30-year mystery
A man found dead on a cold dirt road in Roxburgh Park in 1995 has only ever been known to police as 1238/95. But a new tech advancement may finally help officers crack the cold case.
Victoria
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For 30 years a man has only been known as 1238/95.
Found on a cold dirt road in Roxburgh Park in May 1995, police have never been able to identify the body lying in long grass at North Point Business Park.
But now homicide detectives are hoping for a breakthrough for the John Doe.
Advancements in technology means they’ve been able to create a new colour digital image of the man and they hope this will finally reveal who he was.
Two people had been driving along Cliffords Road, about 1km north of the intersection of the Hume Freeway and Somerton Road, when they saw the body at about 10am.
The man had been severely beaten with a number of stab wounds to his upper body.
Detective Inspector Dean Thomas, who leads the Homicide Squad said his identity had been a mystery for three decades.
“For the past 30 years, this man has only been known to us as 1238/95,” he said.
“We don’t know his name, where he was from, who his family was or how he lived his life.
“We also don’t know how he came to be lying on that dirt road in Roxburgh Park and the circumstances that led up to his death.
He was described as 25-35 years of age, caucasian, 179cm tall, around 89 kilograms, medium length brown hair that was slightly receding, brown eyes and a scar under his right arm.
At the time of his death he was wearing a navy blue jumper, grey Nike T-shirt and shorts.
The man had no shoes or jewellery on and wasn’t carrying a wallet or phone.
Police have appealed multiple times to try and identify the man, which led to one person coming forward to say they had seen him outside a home on Sorbonne Drive in Sunbury at 6.40pm on April 30.
The witness said the man knocked on the door of a property but the owner closed the door and called emergency services.
At the time the man had severe facial injuries and was bleeding from a head wound.
After calling the police, the homeowner went back to the front door but the injured man had disappeared.
“The hours between then and him being found in Roxburgh Park remain a mystery,” Insp Thomas said.
“The case was recently reviewed and the opportunity arose to create a new digital image of the man, so we are hopeful this could be the breakthrough detectives need.
“While we previously released images of the man in 1995 and 1999, this new image really takes advantages of all the improvements in technology that we now have at our disposal in 2025.”
Previous investigations have revealed he was never reported as a missing person.
His fingerprints and dental records have also been checked in Australia and internationally but with no results.
A reward of $50,000, announced in 2000, remains on offer for anyone able to reveal his identity.
Police say the new colour image is the best possible likeness of him.
“I do believe there could still be people out there who know who this man is and we’re hopeful that someone will see these images and be in a position to come forward and speak to police,” Insp Thomas said.
“Our priority is to identify him and determine whether he has a family out there who have been searching for answers for the past three decades.
He added: “It is incredibly rare to have these circumstances where we have been unable to identify someone for such a long period of time.
“It has been a genuine mystery and one that we are exceptionally keen to solve.”
Anyone who recognises the man or has any information about his death is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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