ST. PETERSBURG, FL— In a major cold case breakthrough, the St. Petersburg Police Department has identified a homicide victim who remained nameless for 46 years. The man, previously known only as “John Doe,” has been confirmed as 29-year-old Johnny Bradshaw (full name Johnny Lee Bradshaw), originally from Tennessee, born October 8, 1950.
The identification resolves a double homicide from April 1980, when Bradshaw and another man, Jack Roy Davis, were fatally shot in the head while staying at the Siesta Motel on 34th Street in St. Petersburg.
Investigators at the time quickly identified suspects Kyle Watson and his girlfriend, David Ann Thomas. Before they could be arrested for the murders, Thomas shot and killed Watson after the pair returned to Knoxville, Tennessee. Authorities later arrested Thomas for her role as an accessory after the fact — specifically for driving the getaway car — and she served time in prison. Thomas has since passed away.
While Davis was identified immediately as one of the victims, Bradshaw’s identity remained unknown despite extensive efforts, including the circulation of an artist’s rendering and photographs of a distinctive Italian horn pendant he wore.
In 2010, authorities exhumed Bradshaw’s body in an attempt to develop leads, but those efforts were unsuccessful. The case advanced in 2023 when Cold Case Detective Wallace Pavelski submitted new bone samples to Othram Labs. The laboratory generated a full DNA profile, which, combined with genealogical research, led to family members in Texas and California.
Detective Pavelski contacted relatives, including Bradshaw’s two living sisters, who had been searching for him since his disappearance in 1980. The confirmation has finally brought closure to the family.
This resolution closes the final unidentified John or Jane Doe case on the St. Petersburg Police Department’s cold case list. Officials emphasized the persistent work of detectives and the impact of modern forensic technology, particularly genetic genealogy and advanced DNA analysis, in restoring identities and providing long-overdue answers to victims’ families.
The case highlights how continued advancements in forensic science are solving decades-old mysteries nationwide. Nothing further at this time.
