A body found in a southern Massachusetts town nearly four decades ago was recently identified, but authorities are continuing to look for information about how the man died and who might have killed him.
The body was found off the shoulder of Interstate 195 in Fairhaven on April 8, 1985 by a passing motorist who spotted a human skeleton and called police, according to the Bristol District Attorney's Office. Investigators were able to recover the human remains and other evidence but did not find any information in the area about the identity of the victim.
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The remains were sent to the FBI lab in Washington, D.C., for further examination, the district attorney's office said. They determined the remains were those of a white male, approximately 5'9" tall, who had been killed within a few years of when his body was found. Forensic analysis of the skeletal remains showed evidence of inflicted trauma, and the cause of death was determined to be homicide.
Efforts to identify the individual by comparing dental records to other missing persons cases were unsuccessful, and requests for assistance from the public also generated no substantial leads.
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For the next 38 years, the individual remained unidientified, until the district attorney's office and state police partnered with Othram, a private laboratory located in Texas, and the FBI's Investigative Genetic Geneaology Team. Their efforts resulted in the successful development of a genetic profile from DNA evidence recovered from the remains.
After connecting the individual to a family tree, investigators were able to positively identify the recovered remains as Keith Olson, of Cranston, Rhode Island, who was reported missing in April of 1981. He was 27 years old at the time of his disappearance.
Before he disappeared, the district attorney's office said Olson had briefly been dating a woman who had previously been in a relationship with a North Providence resident named John Broccoli, which caused friction between the two men.
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A witness to Olson's disappearance said two men escorted Olson from his Cranston apartment on April 15, 1981. That same day, Broccoli reportedly made "cryptic statements" to the woman who had been dating Olson, suggesting Broccoli's possible involvement.
John Broccoli, who also went by Michael Corleone, the name of the lead character from the "Godfather" franchise, died in 2019 at the age of 63, the district attorney's office said. According to his obituary, Broccoli was the owner of Spardello's Clothier in North Providence for over 20 years.
Investigators said they are still seeking the public's assistance in providing any information about the disappearance and murder of Olson. They said they have strong reason to believe that the crime was committed by at least two people. Anyone with information is asked to call Massachusetts State Police Detective Lt. AnnMarie Robertson at 855-627-6583.
