The body, found in a field near Eloise, Florida, remained a mystery for over 50 years.
However, thanks to advancements in forensic technology and dedicated detective work, the victim has finally been named: Mack Lavell Proctor (pictured above with an unidentified woman)
In May 1972, a body was discovered in an advanced state of decomposition.
The investigation revealed the victim was a white man in his 40s or 50s, shot twice in the head.
With no identification and no witnesses coming forward, the case went cold.
In 1974, a prisoner named Charles Williams provided a lead.
He claimed fellow inmate Clarence Ingram confessed to murdering a man in Winter Haven with an accomplice named Edgar Todd.
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According to Williams, they argued with the victim, and Ingram handed Todd the gun.
The victim's body was then dumped near a canal.
Despite Williams' information, a lack of evidence prevented charges from being filed.
The case remained unsolved for decades.
In 2017, the victim's remains were exhumed for DNA testing.
Unfortunately, the DNA didn't match any missing persons reports.
However, in 2023, a new approach emerged.
The PCSO partnered with a lab specializing in forensic genetic genealogy.
This technique analyzes DNA to trace ancestry and identify potential relatives.
The lab's analysis revealed a possible match: Mack Lavell Proctor.
Investigators contacted Proctor's son, who confirmed his father disappeared around 1972.
Furthermore, Proctor's family stated he was a mechanic and likely carried tools in his vehicle, aligning with Williams' account.
Sadly, the suspects, Clarence Ingram and Edgar Todd, had already died.
However, investigators found that Ingram's criminal history corroborated Williams' story.
Ingram received a traffic citation in Michigan eight days after the body was found, near where Williams said the car was sold.
Additionally, Ingram was convicted of a separate murder involving a .25 caliber handgun, the same caliber weapon Proctor's family believed he carried.
While the killers cannot be held accountable, identifying the victim brings long-awaited closure to Mack Lavell Proctor's family.
The PCSO commends the tireless efforts of their detectives, especially lead detective Master Deputy Jason McPherson, for finally solving this case.
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