DOLAN SPRINGS, Ariz. – The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has announced a major development in a cold case dating back more than two decades, after human remains discovered beneath a concrete slab in 2021 were positively identified as those of Chester “Chett” G. Williams III.
On August 26, 2021, a Dolan Springs property owner made a disturbing discovery while breaking up a concrete slab in his yard. Hidden beneath the cement were human remains, triggering an extensive homicide investigation. Working alongside anthropologists from the University of Tucson, investigators determined that the remains belonged to a white or Hispanic male, estimated to be over 40 years old, between 5’7” and 5’9” tall. The victim had likely been buried at the site for at least a decade, and his cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the head.
Despite early efforts, the remains could not be matched to any missing persons cases, leaving the victim as a John Doe for nearly two years.
Breakthrough Through Forensic Genealogy
In February 2023, Othram Inc., a Texas-based forensic genetics laboratory, offered to assist through Project Grace, a donor-funded program supporting unsolved cases. Othram successfully developed a DNA profile from the victim’s remains and uploaded the genetic data into a genealogy database. A forensic genetic genealogist then worked alongside MCSO’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to pursue possible family matches.
Initial efforts yielded no significant leads. Investigators then turned to the public for help, posting a request for information on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
A Critical Tip
On July 29, 2023, investigators retrieved a voicemail from a woman who believed she might know the victim’s identity. She told detectives her parents once lived on North Drive—on the same street where the remains were found. She recalled that a man named Chett Williams had lived with her family in the late 1990s but suddenly vanished around 1998–1999.
When she questioned her parents about his disappearance, they simply said he had left, even though all his personal belongings remained behind. Notably, she remembered that shortly after Williams disappeared, her parents had a concrete slab poured at the property.
Connecting the Dots
Investigators reviewed property records and confirmed that the woman’s parents, Bea and Alvin Hamilton, owned the home where the remains were discovered. Records also showed that Williams had listed the address as his residence in the late 1990s. No trace of Williams could be found after 1999. Alvin Hamilton passed away in 2006, while Bea Hamilton died in 2018.
Armed with this new information, investigators provided the lead to Othram’s genealogist. Further research uncovered relatives of Williams living on the East Coast. Contacted by phone, family members confirmed that Williams had traveled to Arizona in the late 1990s to live with a woman named Bea Hamilton.
A family reference DNA sample was voluntarily provided by one of Williams’ relatives. Othram conducted the genetic comparison, and on September 4, 2025, MCSO investigators were notified that the remains were conclusively identified as Chester G. “Chett” Williams III.
Partnership and Gratitude
The identification of Williams marks a long-awaited resolution to one of Mohave County’s lingering cold cases. Officials credited the breakthrough to the collaboration between MCSO, Othram Inc., and Project Grace donors, whose support made the forensic genealogy investigation possible.
“This positive identification would not have been possible without Project Grace and the expertise of Othram,” MCSO said in a statement. “The partnership between these agencies and our office continues to be vital in solving difficult cold cases. We extend our deepest gratitude for their ongoing assistance.”
The homicide investigation into Williams’ death remains active as detectives work to piece together the full circumstances surrounding his disappearance and burial more than two decades ago.
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