Polk County Sheriff Provides Graveside Service for Newly Identified 'John Doe'

Polk County Sheriff Provides Graveside Service for Newly Identified ‘John Doe’

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – In partnership with a local funeral home, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a funeral for a murder victim whose identity was recently identified by cold case detectives.

Mack Lavelle Proctor was murdered on May 17, 1952, more than 52 years ago.

When the murder occurred 52 years ago, the victim was unidentified and buried in a pauper’s grave. Detectives were able to determine the identity of his killers. All parties involved are deceased.

The detectives who solved the case will serve as his porters.

Proctor has a 77-year-old son who is too sick to be employed. At the time his father was murdered, the family had reported him missing and never knew what happened to him until sheriff’s detectives solved the case.

“We can finally bring peace and closure to Mr. Proctor’s family now that he has been identified thanks to the hard work of our detectives and DNA samples from his family. His son is finally at peace because he knows what happened and where his father is. Thanks to the citizens who donate to our cause, we will be able to properly commemorate Mr. Proctor, as he respectfully deserves. Sheriff Grady Judd reported this.