Who was the Somerton Man, and what’s the latest DNA evidence in the ‘Tamam Shud’ case?

The Somerton Man mystery is one of the world’s most enduring cold cases, beginning with a body found on an Adelaide beach in 1948 and ending with a 21st-century DNA breakthrough that finally gave him a name.

The Original Mystery (1948)

On December 1, 1948, a well-dressed man was found dead on Somerton Beach, Australia. He had no identification, and all the labels had been meticulously cut out of his clothing.

The case earned the name “Tamam Shud“ because of a tiny scrap of paper found months later in a hidden pocket of his trousers. It bore the Persian phrase Tamam Shud, meaning “finished” or “ended,” torn from the final page of a rare edition of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

The bizarre clues included:

• The Code: A copy of the book was found in an unlocked car nearby, containing a faint, five-line handwritten cipher that remains unsolved today.
• The “Nurse”: The book also contained a phone number for a local nurse, Jessica Thompson. When shown a cast of the dead man’s face, she reportedly nearly fainted but denied knowing him.
• The Suitcase: A suitcase found at a railway station linked to him contained more clothes with labels removed, except for three items marked “T. Keane.” No missing person by that name was ever found.

The Breakthrough: Carl “Charles” Webb

For over 70 years, theories ranged from him being a Russian spy to a jilted lover. In July 2022, Professor Derek Abbott and genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick announced they had identified the man using forensic genealogy.

After his body was exhumed in 2021, DNA extracted from hair trapped in his death mask allowed researchers to build a family tree of roughly 4,000 people. This led them to one man: Carl “Charles” Webb.

Who was Carl Webb?

• Background: A 43-year-old electrical engineer and instrument maker from Melbourne.
• The Disappearance: He disappeared from his family’s view in April 1947.
• The “T. Keane” Link: Researchers found that Webb had a brother-in-law named Thomas Keane, explaining the name on the suitcase clothing.
• The Motive: Records show Webb was a fan of betting on horses and wrote poetry. His wife had also filed for divorce shortly before he went missing, potentially explaining why he traveled to Adelaide (where she had reportedly moved).

Current Status of the Case

While the man has a name, the cause of death remains an open question. The original autopsy found his spleen was three times the normal size and his stomach was congested with blood, suggesting a fast-acting poison that left no trace.

Latest Update: As of 2024 and early 2025, South Australian Police are still working to formally verify the DNA findings with their own forensic samples to officially close the case. No evidence of foul play has yet been proven, leaving the possibility that he took his own life.

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