In the summer of 2024, Josh Mankiewicz covered the disappearance of 23-year-old Tennessee State University student Marcus Rutledge from Nashville, Tennessee, in June 1998 as part of season 3 of Dateline’s Missing in America podcast.
Mankiewicz spoke to Detective Matthew Filter, a cold case detective for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and posed the question: “Do you think this case will be solved someday?”
The cold case detective’s answer was simple: He hopes so.
“I would certainly like to get the family some answers, even if I can’t bring anybody to justice, even just to give them some answers about what happened,” Det. Filter said on the podcast.
And now, in February 2025 — after more than 25 years — they have some answers.
It’s a process that has taken some time, but in 2023, the Metro Nashville PD submitted forensic evidence to Othram Labs to help identify a John Doe.
A skull had been found on December 8, 2010, by a hunter in the woods about 30 yards off Pecan Valley Rd. near Hwy 12 in Nashville. According to the Metro Nashville PD cold case website, “The area was searched but no other skeletal remains were located.” The cause of death for the John Doe -- who became known as the “Pecan Valley John Doe” -- was undetermined.
According to local NBC affiliate WSMV, the Medical Examiner’s office was able to extract DNA from the skull and submit it to CODIS. But after 13 years with no answers and few leads to go on, investigators turned to Othram. According to their website, “Othram scientists then used Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile, enabling Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team to perform a genealogical search and develop new leads about the man’s identity.”
With these new leads, investigators launched a follow-up investigation and found possible relatives. Then, authorities received a separate lead that ultimately led to the identification of the Pecan Valley John Doe. They learned the remains belonged to Marcus Rutledge, the 23-year-old Tennessee State University student who had been missing since 1998.
According to the Metro Nashville PD media release, “Foul play is suspected in Rutledge’s disappearance.”
And while Marcus’s family now has some answers as to where he is — they still don’t know what happened to him and why. David Rutledge, Marcus’s father, sent a statement to Dateline, “Our family would like to express our deepest appreciation to those who have been so helpful to us in trying to find Marcus.” He said they are grateful to the news media and podcasts, as well as the Nashville Police Cold Case division.
“Your efforts have brought us another step closer to closure,” he wrote. “Marcus, we will forever cherish the memories.”
The MNPD has stated that the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about Marcus’s case is asked to call the Metro Nashville Police Department Cold Case Unit at 615-862-7329.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated with comment from Marcus’s family.