New twist in California beach mystery after self-immolation death linked to ancient religion

DNA analysis has uncovered a new lead in the mystery of a man who died in a suspected self-immolation on a remote California beach, pointing to Middle Eastern ancestry and a possible connection to one of the world’s oldest religions.But more than six years after his charred remains were discovered inside a bonfire, investigators still do not know who he was or why he died.The man’s remains were found at Pescadero State Beach, south of San Francisco, on July 24, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office believes the man, estimated to have been between 30 and 65, built the fire and died by self-immolation.The remains were so badly burned that conventional forensic examination offered few clues to his identity, forcing investigators to turn to DNA analysis in the hope of finding answers.Now, genetic material analyzed by the nonprofit organization Wolf Pack DNA has pointed to Iranian ancestry, with possible connections to eastern Mediterranean populations or the Zoroastrian community in Tehran.Zoroastrianism originated in ancient Iran long before Christianity and remains one of the world’s oldest surviving religions.Although once influential across the Persian world, it is now practised by relatively small communities, including a minority in Iran.Investigators have not established that the man was Zoroastrian, or that any religious beliefs played a role in his death.Although the latest findings offer a new avenue for the investigation, identifying the man remains a challenge according to experts.Genetic genealogy works by comparing DNA from unidentified remains with profiles voluntarily uploaded to genealogy databases.

The process can help investigators identify relatives and build family tre...