Unsolved Crimes Nobody Can Explain

[petermattson]

I read something on the somerton case in one of my wife's psychic magazines ... I know ... But the psychic detective came up with he was a spy & murdered & was American

There's been a lot of speculation that he was foreign (overheard ordering his pasty that night he didn't sound "Australian" according to witnesses) and the still unbroken code found in the Rubaiyat would point to espionage and the circumstances around his death certainly point to murder by poison. It seems like a post-war spy case all the way around. But it has bedeviled every poor b****** who has ever come across it.

[Leonardo]

There's been a lot of speculation that he was foreign (overheard ordering his pasty that night he didn't sound "Australian" according to witnesses) and the still unbroken code found in the Rubaiyat would point to espionage and the circumstances around his death certainly point to murder by poison. It seems like a post-war spy case all the way around. But it has bedeviled every poor b****** who has ever come across it.

Or a post-war-war-criminal-fleeing-capture-and-prosecution case.

[petermattson]

Or a post-war-war-criminal-fleeing-capture-and-prosecution case.

Another solid hypothesis. I tend to lean towards the espionage angle because of the code and the way he was conspicuously dressed (wearing a suit to the beach??) makes me think he was meeting someone on official business. But it's just as plausible he killed himself or was killed because he was a war criminal. I think the story is more interesting as a spy thriller so my bias is showing.

[Leonardo]

I tend to lean towards the espionage angle because of the code...

If it was a code, and I admit that is the most likely hypothesis, that does not suggest a sole motive of espionage.

...and the way he was conspicuously dressed (wearing a suit to the beach??) makes me think he was meeting someone on official business.

As the person was patently not at the beach to go swimming, what he was wearing is not indicative of his reason for being there. Hypotheses incorporating his attire (except for the lack of labelling) as a 'reason' suggest more the conditioning of the hypothesiser to certain conclusions based on entertainment media depictions, than any actuality.

[petermattson]

If it was a code, and I admit that is the most likely hypothesis, that does not suggest a sole motive of espionage.

As the person was patently not at the beach to go swimming, what he was wearing is not indicative of his reason for being there. Hypotheses incorporating his attire (except for the lack of labelling) as a 'reason' suggest more the conditioning of the hypothesiser to certain conclusions based on entertainment media depictions, than any actuality.

Yes. As I said, my bias is showing because I want it to be about espionage. I'm sure there are ways to research the weather at the time but I'm thinking it would have been quite warm in late November in Australia. Again, making assumptions. What do you think about the lack of labels?

[Leonardo]

Yes. As I said, my bias is showing because I want it to be about espionage. I'm sure there are ways to research the weather at the time but I'm thinking it would have been quite warm in late November in Australia. Again, making assumptions. What do you think about the lack of labels?

It's not incompatible with someone wanting to 'disappear', as a fugitive war-criminal would. There were networks operating to provide refuge for fleeing war criminals, and Australia hosted one of those networks.

I am not fixed on the "fugitive" angle, but I promote it to loosen the fixation on the "spy" angle that dominates theory regarding who Somerton Man was, and that his death was even a 'crime'.

[petermattson]

It's not incompatible with someone wanting to 'disappear', as a fugitive war-criminal would. There were networks operating to provide refuge for fleeing war criminals, and Australia hosted one of those networks.

I am not fixed on the "fugitive" angle, but I promote it to loosen the fixation on the "spy" angle that dominates theory regarding who Somerton Man was, and that his death was even a 'crime'.

One of the mysteries is that no one came forward to claim him as a family member or friend, which fits with the war criminal narrative. I think there's still no sense to be made with all the Rubaiyat stuff. You may know of this, but there was a similar death a couple of years earlier where an apparent suicide victim was found on an Australian beach and had a copy of the Rubaiyat near him. Coincidence? Probably, but a weird one.

[petermattson]

Here is a link to the original news article about Joseph Marshall:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/76017408

[Petebowes]

Good read this, but you folks are asking the same questions, a lot of work has been done trying to clear the commentary of assertions that have no basis .. But carry on by all means, I intend to ... good luck.

[petermattson]

Good read this, but you folks are asking the same questions, a lot of work has been done trying to clear the commentary of assertions that have no basis .. But carry on by all means, I intend to ... good luck.

The trail is cold for us over in the States but I read your blog and I know you've got what seems like hot (or warm) leads.

Fascinating case no matter how it turns out.

[jestyn]

There's been a lot of speculation that he was foreign (overheard ordering his pasty that night he didn't sound "Australian" according to witnesses) and the still unbroken code found in the Rubaiyat would point to espionage and the circumstances around his death certainly point to murder by poison. It seems like a post-war spy case all the way around. But it has bedeviled every poor b****** who has ever come across it.

Hello! First post in this forum, so take it easy I consider myself to be well-versed in the Somerton Man/ Taman Shud case, and I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the article that mentioned that he was overheard ordering the pasty? I understand that they found remains in his stomach, but as far as I can tell they could not determine what vendor the pasty came from, not to mention that no witnesses recall seeing him before the sightings on Somerton Beach.

[Petebowes]

@petermattson: It's difficult to engage anyone in any meaningful discussion on this mystery if they haven't read Gerry Feltus' account of his cold case investigation .. more than difficult, it's impossible. This business about a foreign man ordering a pasty could have come from anywhere, anyone.