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Human Remains Found in Southern Oregon Identified as Teen Missing Since 1974 News By Lucille McNamara On Mar 28, 2026 Mark Smith Family Wedding | Courtesy; Oregon State Police JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. — The discovery of human bones found by loggers near Williams, an unincorporated community in southeastern Josephine County, has finally led to the identification as those of 19-year-old Mark Smith. Mark, from Billings, Montana, went missing in 1974. His partial remains were found by loggers four years later. However, the lack of DNA testing led a forensic pathologist and odontologist to the mistaken conclusion that the skeletal remains were those of a girl aged between 16 and 18. Tidings Insight This case shows how one early misread can freeze an identification for decades: before recoverable DNA, sex and age estimates from partial remains sometimes pushed investigators toward the wrong missing person pool. The case went cold for more than 40 years before the Oregon Medical Examiner’s Office decided to take advantage of new technology in an attempt at an identification. Tidings Timeline 1974 : Smith leaves Billings to travel and disappears. May 9, 1978 : Loggers find skull and scapula near Holcomb Peak. 2020 : DNA testing shows the remains were male. Feb. 25, 2026 : Sibling DNA confirms the match. The bones were sent for DNA extraction to a laboratory in Texas, which established the true identity as that of Mark Smith. Josephine County Southern Oregon Share Twitter Facebook ReddIt WhatsApp Pinterest Email