TAMPA, Fla. – Deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said they now know who was discovered deceased inside a tent in April 1995.
According to investigators, a man’s body was discovered in advanced stages of decomposition inside a tent on the northwest corner of Bearss Avenue and I-275 about 30 years ago.
Investigators were able to determine that the individual died of natural causes, but they did not know his identity.
There was little movement in the investigation until last May when investigators from the HCSO’s Cold Investigation Unit and Ortham Labs started looking into it. Othram Labs conducted forensic genealogy testing to identify the remains.
Since 1995, investigators have been trying to identify a guy who was discovered dead in a tent. This image is courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
In April 2024, Othram Labs provided investigative leads and a likely identity for Christopher Mammana. They said he was born in 1918, yet his whereabouts and digital imprint vanished in 1993.
Detectives said they discovered a monument for Christopher Mammana in Easton Cemetery in Easton, Pennsylvania, but no records of his burial on the site. Investigators followed leads and contacted members of the Mammana family to complete the victim’s family tree.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Mammana relocated to Florida in the early 1990s following the death of his wife, Connie. According to investigators, he also had a Tampa address in the early 1990s and was not heard from after moving to Florida.
The body discovered in a tent in 1995 has been identified as Christopher “Charlie” Mammana. This image is courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
In June 2024, cold case investigators were able to find two of his nieces, who volunteered to provide DNA samples for comparison purposes.
On August 23, 2024, the Cold Case Unit positively identified the previously unknown human remains as those of Christopher “Charlie” Mammana.
“Despite the challenging circumstances and the lack of initial leads, the Cold Case Unit detectives persevered, determined to bring closure to this case,” according to Sheriff Chad Chronister. “To be able to identify someone that died nearly 30 years ago speaks to the commitment of our Cold Case Unit.”
According to HCSO, the testing was financed by a state grant in collaboration with the Hillsborough County Medical Examiners Office.