1997 Cold Case Solved with collaboration with U.S Customs and Border Protection's Missing Migrant Program
Hillsborough County, Fla. (May 9, 2025) - The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office (MEO) recently worked with the Mexican Consulate and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to solve a case dating back to 1997.
Using DNA, the MEO was able to find the family of Rodolfo Barcenas Guerrero, whose body was found in Tampa in the fall of 1997 near 43rd Street and 7th Avenue. He had identifying information like a Resident Alien Card and Social Security Card, but attempts to reach his next of kin were unsuccessful at the time.
The Hillsborough County MEO currently has about 45 cold cases from the past 50 years that were difficult to solve until recent breakthroughs in DNA technology and an emphasis on forensic genealogy. A full list of Hillsborough's unidentified cases can be found at HCFL.gov/MedicalExaminer and click on "unidentified remains."
While many of the MEO's cold cases are solved with forensic genealogy, this case only needed the right people in the right places to say they were ready to help. The cause and manner of Barcenas Guerrero's death were ruled undetermined that fall. In November 1997, investigators contacted the Mexican Consulate to attempt to find Barcenas Guerrero's family, but the Consulate was unsuccessful at locating the next of kin at the time.
Last year, Hillsborough County MEO reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the agency was quick to help locate potential family.
In August 2024, the MEO reached back out to the Mexican Consulate, over a quarter century later, with renewed hopes of making contact and solving the case.
Customs and Border Protection's Missing Migrant program was able to help locate Barcenas Guerrero's sister in Guanajuato, a Mexican state just northwest of Mexico City.
Staff from the Mexican Consulate contacted her, and she submitted a cheek swab to compare against Barcenas Guerrero. It was a match.
The Mexican Consulate is currently working to arrange for Barcenas Guerrero's cremated remains to be returned to his family in Guanajuato.
Help Hillsborough County Medical Examiner with Unidentified Cases
Hillsborough County MEO's Cold Case Unit is looking for the public's help with identifying cold cases or finding next of kin for those cases where they have the decedent's name. The cases are from all over geographically, not just from the Tampa Bay area. Many of the cases include artists renderings to show what the person may have looked like when they died. To see the current list of unidentified cases, visit HCFL.gov/MedicalExaminer.