CLARK COUNTY, IDAHO—CNN reports that the DNA Doe Project has identified bones recovered from Idaho’s Buffalo Cave as the remains of Joseph Henry Loveless, an outlaw who broke out of prison in the early twentieth century after he was arrested for killing his wife and was never seen again. The researchers made the identification by comparing DNA obtained from the bones in the cave to the genomes of more than 30,000 people. Clark County Sheriff Bart May said Loveless made his escape by cutting through the bars of his jail cell with a saw concealed in his shoe, as he had previously fled at least twice before following arrests for bootlegging. The condition of the remains suggest Loveless was dismembered. “Back in 1916, it was the Wild West up here and most likely the locals took care of the problem,” May said. “We’ll probably never solve the homicide.” To read about the discovery of a medieval outlaw's skeleton in Sicily, go to "Stabbed in the Back."
Outlaw’s Remains Identified in Idaho
News January 2, 2020
Recommended Articles
Letter from Alcatraz September/October 2020
Inside the Rock's Surprising History
Before it was an infamous prison, Fort Alcatraz played a key role defending the West Coast
Letter from Ireland January/February 2020
The Sorrows of Spike Island
Millions were forced to flee during the Great Famine—some of those left behind were condemned to Ireland’s most notorious prison
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2019
Cotton Mill, Prison, Main Street
Digs & Discoveries November/December 2018
Another Form of Slavery
-
Features November/December 2019
Artists of the Dark Zone
Deciphering Cherokee ritual imagery deep in the caves of the American South
(Alan Cressler) -
Letter from Jordan November/December 2019
Beyond Petra
After the famous city was deserted, a small village thrived in its shadow
(Ivan Vdovin/Alamy Stock Photo) -
Artifacts November/December 2019
Australopithecus anamensis Cranium
(Dale Omori/Cleveland Museum of Natural History) -
Digs & Discoveries November/December 2019
Proof Positive
(Erich Lessing/Art Resource)