Posted Wed 29 Jul 2026 at 8:27am
Wed 29 Jul 2026 at 8:27am
No-one has ever come forward to ID the man, believed to have been older than 60. (Supplied: Skull Forensics via NSW Police)
In short:
DNA analysis has revealed a man at the centre of a 2004 cold case likely had Latvian or Middle European heritage.
The body of so-called Echo Point Man was found in bushland at Katoomba in the NSW Blue Mountains.
What's next?
Police hope the new information about the case will lead to a breakthrough.
Police hope fresh DNA evidence will help investigators crack a more than two-decades-old cold case in the NSW Blue Mountains.
On June 4, 2004, the body of a man was found in bushland at Echo Point in Katoomba.
Despite extensive inquiries over the past 22 years, police have never been able to identify him.
The man's body was found in 2004 in Katoomba. (Supplied: Skull Forensics via NSW Police)
Advanced DNA analysis has now revealed so-called Echo Point Man likely had Latvian ancestry.
Police also now say he was more than 60 years old.
At the time he was found, Echo Point Man had been wearing a blue button-up shirt, a red cardigan, a cream jacket, blue corduroy pants, a black belt, and brown work boots.
This backpack was found on the man, police say. (Supplied: NSW Police )
A pair of scissors (right) were retrieved from the backpack. (Supplied: Skull Forensics via NSW Police)
Previously released images of a 3D facial reconstruction indicated he was likely Caucasian, with light grey hair and frontal baldness.
He was about 178cm tall and of medium build.
A note linked to the man also led detectives to believe he had been suffering significant eyesight problems at the time of his death.
A note linked to the man said the author was "unable to work any longer" due to poor eyesight. (Supplied: NSW Police)
Despite earlier appeals, no-one has ever come forward to say they recognised him.
Blue Mountains Police Area Command Superintendent John Nelson said they hope releasing the new information Echo Point Man's ancestry will help provide his team with leads.
"We are now appealing to anyone with information about a man missing since early 2000s, possibly with Latvian or Middle European heritage, to contact police," he said in a statement.
