Arkansas Cold Case Murder Victim Identified After 36 Years

More than three decades after an unidentified man was found dead near Interstate 40 in Arkansas, investigators finally have a name and a new lead.

In April 1989, the body of a man was discovered off the shoulder of I-40 in Prairie County, not far from the small community of Biscoe. At the time, the man had no identification, and despite investigators’ best efforts, he was labeled a John Doe. The case eventually went cold.

But in 2022, Prairie County Sheriff Rick Hickman made the decision to reopen the case. He reached out to the Arkansas State Crime Lab and the FBI for help, hoping that modern DNA technology could do what 1980s forensics could not.

That hope paid off...

This spring, DNA testing through a forensic lab specializing in genealogy identified the victim as Michael Eugene Harris. Harris was born in 1962 and was originally from Little Rock. He was 26 when he died.

Now that the man has a name, authorities say they can begin retracing his steps, and possibly uncover who’s responsible for his death. The Prairie County Sheriff's Office says the investigation is now active and ongoing.

Anyone with information about Harris or the events leading to his death is asked to contact the sheriff's office.

Arkansas State Police, (870) 931-0043, White County Sheriff’s Office, (501) 279-6279.

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