Utah cold case identified after 28 years, remains named as Pedro Marioni

Garfield County investigators on June 23, 2026, identified human remains found in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area nearly 28 years earlier as Pedro Calderon Marioni, a 31-year-old man whose death has never been explained. The investigation into how Marioni died remains open.

The remains were discovered on June 2, 1998, in the Hogsprings area near Ticaboo, inside the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in remote Garfield County, Utah. The body was partially skeletonized and was found partially covered by sand, rock and dirt. Utah Department of Public Safety records listed the unidentified man as a Hispanic or Latino male, about 5-foot-8, with brown hair and an estimated age range of 25 to 34. He was later entered in NamUs as case UP9835.

A Colorado Bureau of Investigation agent located them while the agency was searching the Four Corners region for three fugitives wanted in connection with the killing of Colorado police officer Dale Claxton and the attempted killing of a San Juan County sheriff’s deputy. The agent followed information from a psychic about the fugitives’ location before discovering the remains instead.

Marioni’s identification came after the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Utah Department of Public Safety State Bureau of Investigation and Othram in July 2024 to pursue advanced forensic genetic genealogy testing. Othram developed a DNA profile from the evidence, which generated family leads. Last month, Marioni’s sister was contacted and agreed to provide a DNA sample, confirming the identity. Othram identified it as the company’s eighth publicly announced Utah identification.

Investigators also recovered several personal items with the remains, including a calf-roping belt buckle, cowboy boots, a denim jacket, bathrobe, jeans, belt, athletic shoes, a yellow metal bracelet chain with an eagle charm, sunglasses, a brown wallet, a Ford truck key and a long-distance calling card. Detectives believed Marioni may have been traveling between the El Paso, Texas, area and Los Angeles, California, but they still do not know how he died or how he ended up in the Glen Canyon area. Anyone with information can contact Sgt. Tom Talbot at 435-676-1126.