Draft:Bobby Kellum

Bobby Joe Kellum (March 26, 1958 – May 15, 1977) was an American homicide victim whose identity remained unknown for 30 years. His body, discovered in rural Alabama, was listed as a John Doe until 2007, when advancements in forensic DNA testing and renewed media interest—especially a televised segment by WHNT-TV —led to his identification.

1974 yearbook photo from Clements High School of murder victim Bobby Kellum

Disappearance and Discovery

On May 15, 1977, the partially burned body of a young man was found in a corner of Martling Cemetery in rural Marshall County, Alabama. The body had been doused in yellow paint and his throat had been cut. Two women walking through the cemetery came across the scene and alerted authorities.

At the time of discovery, the man had no identification, and his remains bore no immediately traceable clues to his identity. Despite a police investigation and coverage in local papers, the man remained unidentified. He was buried as a John Doe in the Arab, Alabama city cemetery in Marshall County. Law enforcement faced several challenges in identifying the victim. Due to the extensive damage to the body and lack of leads, the case grew cold. Over the years, the body remained interred under the unidentified status, with local investigators continuing to revisit the file when feasible.

Media Involvement

In May 2007, WHNT in Huntsville, Alabama aired a segment on the 30th anniversary of the case. As part of the report, they showed a forensic facial reconstruction of the unidentified man created by the county corner back in 1977.

Coroner photo of reconstructed face of Bobby Kellum created after his remains were found in the Asbury Cemetery in Marshall County, Alabama.

Following the broadcast, a woman From Athens, Alabama contacted WHNT expressing concern that the image resembled someone she had known in her youth, Bobby Joe Kellum, who had disappeared decades earlier. This tip proved pivotal in reopening the case from a new angle and prompted authorities to collect DNA samples from Kellum's family and the remains buried in Arab.

Identification and DNA Testing

DNA samples were sent to a private lab and confirmed that the remains were those of Kellum, who had been 19-years-old at the time of his disappearance.

Wilma Kellum, mother of Bobby Kellum, provides a DNA sample to Marshall County investigators.

Identity of Killer

The identification of Kellum's remains reignited the investigation into his murder. Authorities focused on a suspect, a terminally ill Louisiana man named C.W. Brooks, who confessed to being an accessory after the fact. Brooks informed investigators that DeWitt Thrash, the father of a 17-year-old Anniston, Alabama girl whom Kellum had met while working at a fair in Anniston, was responsible for the murder. According to Brooks, Thrash and Brooks picked up Kellum and the girl while they were walking along Alabama Highway 21. After taking the girl home, they returned to Marshall County, where they met another man, Troy Barnes, and drove to Asbury Cemetery. There, Thrash allegedly killed Kellum by cutting his throat, poured yellow paint on his body, and set it on fire. Kellum's body was discovered three days later by two women.

Due to the statute of limitations and Brooks's terminal illness, no charges were brought against him. Thrash died two years before the break in the case. Kellum's remains were returned to his native Limestone County and buried in the Anticoh Cemetery in Elkmont, Alabama.