Human remains found in South Knoxville identified after 5 years

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Human remains found in Knoxville in 2020 have been identified, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center said Tuesday.

The remains were identified as Gerald J. Forsman, originally from Livonia, Michigan, born in 1959.

The remains were found on May 20, 2020, in the woods near the 200 block of Overbrook Drive, the Knoxville Police Department said. The highly decomposed remains were taken to the forensic center, which determined that they belonged to a man between 55 and 70, although it couldn't determine the cause of death.

In 2023, a sample of the remains was sent to Othram, a private lab in Texas. In August 2025, after genealogical DNA testing, Othram scientists told the forensic center that they had identified people potentially related to the dead man.

Forens