Coquitlam RCMP are seeking the public's help in solving the case of a man found dead whose identity has remained a mystery for 20 years.

On July 2, 1998, a person walking a dog near the Port Coquitlam Cemetery discovered the body of a man in a heavily wooded area in the 4100 block of Oxford Street in Port Coquitlam.

Despite assistance from forensic experts, a composite drawing, and a DNA profile, police have been unable to identify the man.

A forensic anthropologist estimated that the man had been dead between two to 10 years by the time he was found, and he was between 35 and 50 years of age when he died. He is 168 to 183 centimetres (five-foot, six-inches to six-feet) tall, was wearing blue dress pants and had remnants of a red T-shirt, and is of mixed First Nations and Caucasian ancestry. 

His teeth had visible decay and was also missing an upper front tooth, which may have been removed a year before his death. His nose may have been somewhat lopsided or crooked, due to a healed broken nose.

He also had symptoms of Osgood-Schlatter disease, which is a condition that manifests as a painful bump on the shin below the knee during adolescence, particularly among youths who play sports such as hockey or soccer.

Due to indications of poor health, he may have been homeless or transient.

Anyone who thinks this man sounds familiar or who knows of a family who has lost someone that may fit this description is asked to call the Coquitlam RCMP non-emergency line at 604-945-1550 and ask for Cst. Michael Keller, with reference to file number 1998-25600.