<p>May 10, 1952 — Dec. 10, 2020</p> <p>John Michael Neumann, 68, died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. Arrangements are by Casey Funeral Home, Princeton.</p>

John Michael Neumann

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">SPRING HOPE &mdash; A still-unknown drowned man fished out of the Tar River four decades ago likely had a cocktail of whiskey or wine, fingernail polish remover and rubbing alcohol swirling around in his system.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">On June 25, 1980, a fisherman found the drowned man&rsquo;s body in the water near Strickland&rsquo;s Bridge on Old Bailey Highway about 9 miles from downtown Spring Hope in rural Nash County.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The 50- to 70-year-old Black man died of drowning and his body could have floated downstream for several miles, according to an autopsy and death investigation conducted by Nash County Medical Examiner Robert E. Zipf Jr.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Tar River starts in Person County and runs through Louisburg upstream from the location where the drowned man was discovered. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Washed ashore, unearthed in shallow graves, stumbled upon in the woods, discovered in abandoned houses, killed on busy roads or located in rivers, ponds and along railroad tracks, more than 120 bodies remain unidentified in North Carolina. This is one of their stories.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Officials believe the drowned man had been dead for around three days prior to discovery. The remains weren&rsquo;t recognizable due to decomposition and putrefaction. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The drowned man had a blood ethanol level above 80 milligrams per deciliter and traces of acetone and isopropanol in his system, according to his toxicology report. That level of ethanol exceeds North Carolina&rsquo;s legal limit for driving a motor vehicle. Levels that high are frequently associated with loss of manual dexterity and sedation, according to information from the Mayo Clinic Laboratories.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Acetone is a solvent found in fingernail polish remover. Isopropanol is a major component of rubbing alcohol. Both chemicals are deadly if consumed.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">&ldquo;Odds are high that the individual won&rsquo;t only get drunk on this dangerously toxic beverage, they&rsquo;ll black out and possibly even die,&rdquo; according to information about rubbing alcohol provided by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Zipf, who retired in 2010, still lives in the area. He said last week that he didn&rsquo;t remember the case, as he examined hundreds of bodies a year.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">&ldquo;If they were unidentified we took pictures, fingerprints and took X-rays,&rdquo; Zipf said. &ldquo;We examined their teeth and we would check with dentists for records. We would also look for tattoos and scars. Anything that would help identify the person. Law enforcement would also be looking. It was a two-prong approach.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The drowned man stood 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighed 190 pounds. He had short, curly, black hair with some graying, a beard and mustache. His eye color is unknown. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">He had a 4-centimeter long scar on his lower right abdomen and a healed wired fracture in the left side of his jaw. Zipf noted he believed the healed jaw injury likely meant the man had been in a serious vehicle wreck at some point, according to archived newspaper reports.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The drowned man had his appendix removed at some point. Dental records are available showing a left lower cuspid with a restoration. Partial fingerprints are available. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">A DNA profile isn&rsquo;t available because no samples were retained, according to information from the Doe Network, a volunteer-run international clearinghouse for unidentified and missing persons.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The drowned man&rsquo;s clothing included dark and light blue striped wool and cotton pants.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The victim&rsquo;s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System number is 2182. Anyone with information about the drowned man&rsquo;s identity is asked to call the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner at 919-733-7834 or Team Cold Case at 252-406-6736. A monetary reward is available.</span></p>

Drowning victim remains unknown 

ENT P1 LOC drowning victim W 4-21-21.jpg

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Weather conditions in the Wilson Times area should be relatively benign Saturday through Tuesday, with mostly seasonable temperatures and only slight chances of any precipitation.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Saturday is expected to be mostly cloudy, but with occasional sunshine. High temperatures will plateau in the upper 60s.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">There is a minimal 15% risk of a shower late in the day and overnight.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Sunday should be sunnier. From a morning low of 50, the high is expected to reach the low 70s.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Another chance of showers, this time at 25%, is forecast for Monday daytime. Afternoon temperatures are likely to repeat Sunday&rsquo;s.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Partly cloudy skies Tuesday and less shower risk will enable temperatures to get into the mid-70s.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For details, please click on the Weathercast&rsquo;s audio link. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>ABOUT THE WEATHERCAST</b></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Albert Thomas Jr., a Wilson attorney and retired judge, will weigh in on Wilson&rsquo;s weather conditions each Tuesday and Saturday. Thomas is a forecast aficionado who recalls Wilson community weatherman Joe Overman&rsquo;s broadcasts on WVOT radio.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Visit WilsonTimes.com each Tuesday for a look at workweek weather highlights and get Wilson County&rsquo;s weekend forecast each Saturday morning.</span></p>

Seasonable temps, minimal rain chances 

April 17th Weathercast.mp3

Albert Thomas.jpg

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