ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The St. Joseph County Police Department announced detectives along with Clay Township Parks & Grounds, the Coroner’s Office, and Community Vault will work together to exhume the body of the “Howard Johnson John Doe” at Tutt Cemetery off Cleveland Road on Monday.

Police say the eastbound lane of Cleveland Road between Ironwood and Nadine will be closed between 7 and 8:30 a.m. to bring equipment in.

This cold case dates back to June 9, 1985, when a family walking their dog behind the former Howard Johnson Motor Lodge, near Cleveland Road and S.R. 933, discovered the badly decomposed body of a man and called police.

Detectives believe this individual was a white man about 20-30 years old, approximately 5′9″ to 6′1″, and maybe around 150-175lbs.

He had long brown hair and a mustache. He was found in blue jeans, a rock band T-shirt, and white tennis shoes.

He was also found in a green US Army Jacket. On it was the name ‘Hosea’ with an emblem patch on the arm of the 3rd Armored Division.

Detectives back then initially believed this could be a lead, but learned the victim obtained it at a soup kitchen in South Bend.

Detectives also believe this man was not killed where he was found.

Authorities do know the cause of death was a gunshot wound, and it was ruled a homicide.

His identity remains unknown.

Investigator say exhuming a body is rare in St. Joseph County, but with today’s advances in DNA and genealogy technology, detectives believe this could finally lead to identifying the John Doe and potentially solving this homicide.