Idaho’s ‘Unknown Wanderer’ mystery could finally be solved after 44 years
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - For nearly 44 years, a man known only as the “Unknown Wanderer” has remained one of Idaho’s most enduring unidentified-person cases.
This morning, investigators say they may finally know who he was.
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office is expected to reveal the man’s identity Wednesday morning, along with new information about a possible connection between the decades-old Boise cold case and the infamous 1982 Tylenol poisonings in Chicago.
The announcement is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, with Ada County Cold Case Detective Tim Cooper and Sheriff Matt Clifford expected to speak alongside forensic psychiatrist Dr. Park Dietz and “Unsolved Mysteries” co-creator and executive producer Terry Dunn Meurer.
A decades-long mystery dating back to 1982
The case began the evening of Dec. 4, 1982, when an unidentified man was found dead beneath a pew at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Boise. Church members had previously seen the man at the 4 pm confession service.
According to the Doe Network, the man was believed to be between 35 and 45 years old. Investigators determined he died by suicide after ingesting a cyanide pill.
A typewritten note found by his body instructed that the money he carried be used for his funeral and cremation, with anything remaining donated to the church.
He also had $1,900 in cash beside him, including 19 $100 bills, but no identification.
Despite years of investigation, authorities have been unable to identify him.
While the suicide note was signed with the name “Wm. L. Toomey,” investigators later determined that it was an alias:
“In the event of my death, the enclosed currency should give more than adequate compensation for my funeral or disposal (preferred to be cremated) expenditures. What is leftover, please take this as a contribution to this church. God will see to your honesty in this.”
— Wm. L Toomey
Investigators followed leads across several states, including California, Arizona, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Illinois.
The case eventually became known as the “Unknown Wanderer.”
A string of clues
The man was described as well-groomed and physically fit. He wore western-style clothing and a belt buckle containing a Mexican 100-peso coin. Investigators traced his belt to a western shop in Phoenix, Arizona.
The name “William L. Toomey” also led investigators to a Massachusetts company that manufactured clothing for priests and nuns. However, investigators could not establish a connection between the company and the unidentified man.
His fingerprints also did not match any available databases. It is also unknown if authorities were able to retrieve DNA from the original scene.
The mystery received national attention when the case was featured on “Unsolved Mysteries” in 1990.
A possible link to the Tylenol Poisonings of 1982
The latest development adds another layer to the mystery.
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office says its investigation may have uncovered a connection between the Unknown Wanderer and the 1982 Tylenol poisonings, in which seven people in the Chicago area died after taking cyanide-laced capsules three months prior.
Those deaths occurred in September and October 1982 — just months before the unidentified man died in Boise from cyanide poisoning.
Authorities have not publicly explained what they believe the connection may be. They expect to reveal it during today's press conference.
The Tylenol killings remain unsolved. The case prompted major changes to over-the-counter medication packaging, including the widespread use of tamper-evident packaging.
A possible destination for the "Unknown Wanderer"
The Unknown Wanderer was eventually buried in Eagle under the name “William Toomey,” the alias used on his suicide note.
Now, after more than four decades, investigators say that name may finally be replaced by the man's true identity.
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office is expected to provide those answers during Wednesday morning’s news conference.
Local News 8 will continue to update this story as investigators release new information. To watch the press conference this morning, click here.
