Man killed in 1986 Minneapolis boxcar fire identified after donation from nonprofit
MINNEAPOLIS — A man killed in a 1986 boxcar fire in Minneapolis has been identified with the help of a nonprofit dedicated to solving crimes and cold cases.
According to the organization Project Justice, the man is identified as James R. Wakkinen.
Wakkinen's identity remained a mystery for nearly 40 years due to the severity of his injuries and lack of forensic tools at the time of the fire, the nonprofit says.
A donation from Project Justice allowed his DNA to be sent to a forensic lab in 2023 for retesting.
The Las Vegas-based nonprofit partners with law enforcement around the country to solve cold cases by funding independent DNA testing.
"When a victim is identified, the family finally gets answers, but the grief never truly goes away," Justin Woo, who cofounded the nonprofit, said in a statement.