With the help of advanced DNA testing, officials in Chatham County have finally identified a murder victim – who was killed 46 years ago.
Jimmy Mack Brooks was a 26-year-old Army veteran when he was killed in 1976. His body was discovered in Moncure, but officers at the time had no clues to his identity.
Photo of Jimmy Mack Brooks via the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, who obtained it from Brooks’ family.
More recently, though, advancements in DNA testing have enabled investigators to make progress in identifying victims, even after many years. Forensic testing led investigators to a family member of Brooks, who was able to make a positive identification – ending a mystery that had persisted for nearly half a century.
“It is bittersweet to be able to share this information with his loved ones who never stopped looking for him,” said Lieutenant Sara Pack of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. “Although his identity has finally been revealed, there are many more questions to be answered. We will continue to seek justice for Jimmy and his family.”
To crack the case, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office worked with the NC Unidentified Project, a statewide initiative founded in 2020 to raise funds and provide assistance for investigators trying to solve unidentified-person cases.
“These men and women deserve to have their names known and their stories told,” said forensic genealogist Leslie Kaufman, a co-founder of the NC Unidentified Project. “That’s what drives me to do what I do.”
Jimmy Mack Brooks is the seventh victim to be identified by the NC Unidentified Project – and the second in Chatham County, just in the last two months. In April, investigators identified the body of Alex Brown, Jr., who’d been reported missing in Baltimore in 1978.
Now that Brooks’ body has been identified, investigators are turning their attention to solving his murder.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking members of the public to share what they know about Brooks and his death. Investigators say even the smallest detail could make a big difference.
If you have any information about Jimmy Mack Brooks or the circumstances surrounding his death, contact the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office at 919-542-2911.
Featured photo via the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
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