Nearly two decades after a young man was pulled from the Gulf waters during the chaos of Hurricane Rita, investigators are again asking for the public’s help to restore his identity.

Moxxy Forensic Investigations, working alongside the Gulf Shores Police Department, has renewed efforts to identify the man known only as “Dante” Doe, whose body was recovered Sept. 24, 2005, from Gulf Shores Public Beach, a news release said.

Authorities said the man, described as a Latino male, drowned after being swept under by dangerous surf generated by the hurricane. Investigators believe he died only minutes before he was recovered.

Despite years of investigation, including fingerprint analysis through the FBI and the U.S. Department of Immigration and Naturalization, the man’s identity has never been confirmed. More recently, forensic specialists turned to genetic genealogy in hopes of uncovering new leads, but the case remains unsolved.

Investigators believe the man was not from the Gulf Shores area and may not have been a U.S. citizen.

He is estimated to have been between 20 and 29 years old, stood between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed between 125 and 148 pounds. He had black hair and wore a mustache and goatee. Authorities noted several scars, including a 1.5-inch scar on the left side of his abdomen, a 1-inch scar on his left knee and multiple scars on his right knee. No tattoos or other identifying marks were documented.

Recent genealogical analysis conducted by Moxxy Forensic Investigations suggests the man may have had one parent with ancestry from Northern Central America, including regions such as Guatemala or Venezuela, and another parent from Southern Mexico, possibly Oaxaca.

The case has received periodic media attention and law enforcement outreach over the years, yet no one has come forward to identify the victim or report him missing, the release said.

Officials say even the smallest detail could prove critical in solving the case and bringing closure to a mystery that has persisted for nearly 20 years.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Gulf Shores Police Department at (251) 968-2431. Captain Nate Harris of GSPD is leading the investigation. Information may also be shared with Olivia McCarter of Moxxy Forensic Investigations at olivia@moxxyforensics.com.