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Deloit Native Shirlee Lewis Henkel Identified Nearly 40 Years After Death in Texas; Final Resting Place Confirmed in Ute
(Shirlee Lewis Henkel)
A mystery that spanned nearly four decades has finally been solved, and it connects directly back to the small communities of Deloit and Ute in western Iowa.
In October of 1987, the body of an unidentified man was discovered in Fort Worth, Texas. He had been staying at a local night shelter under a false name, seeking food and medical help. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing about 150 pounds, authorities estimated he was between 25 and 40 years old at the time of his death. Despite having personal items on him, including a distinctive ring and a wristwatch, efforts to identify him came up short. His case was officially added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in 2008 as case UP4087.
In a renewed effort to solve the case, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office submitted forensic evidence in 2024 to Othram Inc., a Texas-based laboratory specializing in advanced DNA sequencing. Using cutting-edge forensic-grade genome sequencing and genealogical research, scientists developed a viable DNA profile and soon discovered a match.
That DNA match led investigators to the small town of Deloit, Iowa — the birthplace of Shirlee Lewis Henkel, born on August 14, 1942. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Henkel had been listed as deceased by his family since the 1990s. In fact, a headstone bearing his name was already placed in Saint Clair Cemetery in Ute, where a memorial service had been held for him in 1994.
The name “Shirlee” was uncommon but not unheard of for boys in the early 20th century, peaking in popularity for males around 1935 — just a few years before Henkel was born.
Thanks to modern DNA technology and persistence from both Texas authorities and forensic researchers, Henkel’s identity is no longer unknown. His story — beginning in Deloit, honored in Ute, and now completed through science — serves as a reminder of the deep roots and far-reaching connections of small-town lives.
