Man Found Dead In Crossville In 1982 Identified By DNA Testing

The TBI, working with multiple agencies nationwide, has identified the skeletal remains of a man found in Crossville in 1983.

Kenneth Levall Thompson of Detroit went missing in 1982 or 1983, according to the bureau. His remains were found August 26, 1983 near Sycamore Lane in Crossville. The victim had been stabbed multiple death and the death was ruled a homicide.

Efforts to identify Thompson continued from the eighties to now through work by the Cumberland County Sheriffs Department and the TBI. In December, the state submitted a sample of the man’s remains to a Texas company. That led to information on possible relatives connected to Thompson. TBI agents contacted those family members, including a brother who confirmed he had not spoken to or heard from Thompson in years. Using the brother’s DNA, the Texas firm made a positive identification.

The efforts are part of the TBI’s Unidentified Human Remains DNA Initiative.

Agents are still trying to find a photo of Thompson as an adult. If you have any information, contact the TBI.