Remains Found in Kentucky Identified as Fugitive Wanted in Arkansas

In a significant breakthrough, Kentucky State Police confirmed on Monday that the remains discovered by fishermen almost 25 years ago have been identified as those of Roger Dale Parham. Parham was a fugitive wanted on charges from Arkansas.

According to the FBI, a warrant was issued for Parham’s arrest in 1999 after he failed to appear for a court hearing. He had been previously arrested for rape involving a minor. Authorities suspected that Parham might have fled to Mexico.

The breakthrough in the case came after nearly two decades when investigators confirmed that the remains found in 1999 by two fishermen on Lake Barkley in Lyon County belonged to Parham.

The discovery of the body had raised several questions due to its unusual circumstances. The body was wrapped in heavy tire chains and anchored with a hydraulic jack. Despite efforts to identify the remains in 2016 by exhuming the body, investigators were unsuccessful.

Earlier this year, Kentucky State Police collaborated with the private forensic lab Othram Inc. in their quest for identification. Through extensive testing conducted by Othram Inc., in partnership with the National Missing and Unidentified Person System, the remains were finally identified as the long-sought fugitive, Roger Dale Parham.

Parham had been arrested in November 1998 but disappeared in March 1999, just before his court hearing. He was believed to have fled to avoid prosecution, leaving authorities searching for him for over two decades.

While the cause of Parham’s death remains unclear, the circumstances surrounding the discovery of his body have led authorities to investigate the case as a potential homicide. The investigation into this mysterious and tragic incident continues.