Arizona Sheriffs Use AI to Solve John Doe Case

In a pioneering move, the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Arizona is turning to artificial intelligence to breathe new life into a difficult case. For the first time, law enforcement officials are using AI to create a realistic photo of an unidentified man, hoping it will lead to a long-awaited breakthrough.

A Puzzling Discovery

The investigation began on December 28 of last year when a man's partially decomposed body was found near the San Joaquin Trailhead, located southwest of Tucson. Detectives from Tucson police created a sketch, but the man's identity has remained a mystery ever since. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos highlighted the unusual nature of the case, stating, "There's some suspicious circumstances surrounding the finding of this body." While it has not officially been classified as a homicide, homicide detectives are actively leading the investigation.

When Traditional Methods Fall Short

Investigators have exhausted conventional methods in their efforts to identify the man. "Ran his prints through the system," Sheriff Nanos explained, but the search yielded no matches. Even advanced DNA technology has so far provided no clues. "But so far we've got nothing to tell us who this individual is," Nanos added, underscoring the challenges the department has faced.

An Innovative Leap with AI

Facing a dead end, a detective with the Pima County Sheriff's Department decided to try an unconventional tool: ChatGPT. By feeding the police sketch into the AI, the detective prompted it for help. "Typed into AI 'hey can you help us who this person is?'" Nanos recounted. The result was a colored, more lifelike image of the John Doe, offering a new face for a nameless man.

This novel application of a widely available AI tool highlights a potential new frontier in forensic science. The technology could be a game-changer for identifying the 1,600 other unidentified bodies currently with the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office.

A Cautious Optimism

While the use of AI has generated excitement, its accuracy in this context is still unproven. "Is it 100 percent accurate? We won't know that until we actually learn who this individual is," Sheriff Nanos admitted. The public reaction is also mixed. Tucson resident Tim Bernal initially expressed skepticism, saying, "AI sucks." However, upon learning how it was being used in this case, he acknowledged, "it's both good and bad."

If the AI-generated image proves to be accurate, Sheriff Nanos sees a broader role for the technology within the department, including potentially assisting with the creation of police reports. For now, the focus remains on this single case. "For us this is day one," Nanos said.

The Medical Examiner's Office has listed the man's cause and manner of death as undetermined. Authorities are urging anyone who may have information about his identity to call 911.