John Doe Mystery: Mugshots Are Man's Only Piece Of The Past
This is the second part in a series about two unique Illinois wards of the state: adult men who have no idea who they are.
(CBS) – How does a living person become a "John Doe"? Sometimes it's amnesia, or mental illness, or senility.
Almost every John Doe learns his real name, usually within weeks.
But right now, two John Doe's have been wards of the state for several years. Legal guardians, officials and volunteers continue to search for their identity.
WBBM's Steve Miller reports.
"What are you thinking when you look at those pictures from when you were younger?"
Anne Bielby is a forensic artist who's been trying to help Illinois' John Doe's, like Shannon Night.
At least, Shannon Night is the name he goes by. He had a stroke several years ago and has been a ward of the state for 10 years.
He does not recognize the photos of himself taken almost 20 years ago. They are mugshots -- just faces, he says.
Bielby got the photos from the police. Whoever he really is, Shannon Night has a criminal record and several aliases. But so far, all those names have led to dead ends.
Bielby put the photos out a few months ago at a Missing Persons Day event. She tells Night two people came up to her and said they recognized him.
"They couldn't remember your name, but they remembered playing basketball with you," she says.
Still, it's another dead end.
Next: A man who goes by the name Robert Rockefeller.
