Human Remains Found Off Atlantic City in 1981 Identified
- Human remains recovered off Atlantic City in 1981 have been identified
- The remains belonged to a retired Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer
- Investigative genetic genealogy helped solve the 45-year-old case
Trenton, N.J. — Human remains pulled from the ocean off Atlantic City 45 years ago have finally been identified as a retired U.S. Coast Guard officer from South Carolina who traveled to the World's Play ground in the spring of 1981 and was never heard from again.
The New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit confirmed the remains are those of Glen Napoleon Burbage, born April 12th, 1921, and a retired Chief Warrant Officer from Charleston, SC.
Authorities said Burbage flew to Atlantic City in March 1981. His remains were recovered approximately one mile offshore from Raleigh Avenue on May 22nd, 1981.
Despite previous DNA testing and entry into the national CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) database, investigators had no leads for decades. The breakthrough came through investigative genetic genealogy, with genealogical research by the Ramapo College IGG Center identifying Burbage as a candidate.
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The New Jersey State Police then worked with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to obtain a DNA reference sample from Burbage's family. A one-to-one familial DNA comparison by the NJSP Central Laboratory confirmed the identification.
The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at missingpinformation@njsp.gov.
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Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for WPUR Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com.
