The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has identified the skeletal remains of a murdered man discovered in 1986 on a ranch in an unincorporated part of the county.

The man, identified Tuesday as 31-year-old Peter Joseph Paskovich Jr., was determined by the coroner to be shot in the head after his remains were found in November of that year in the Midway Ranch area west of Interstate 25 in southern El Paso County, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.

Since then, the Sheriff’s Office says it has devoted “significant” time and resources to linking the remains to known missing persons from across the country.

For decades, the victim’s DNA profile had no matches. But cold case investigators made a breakthrough in 2025 after teaming up with a New Jersey college that had a genetic genealogy center, which used the man’s teeth to identify potential relatives and construct a family tree.

After identifying Paskovich as a potential match, investigators reached out to his family to obtain DNA samples. In April, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation confirmed the relatives’ DNA matched the skeletal remains.

The methods used to identify Paskovich have helped solve around 75 cases in Colorado since 2018, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“For nearly four decades, this man had no name, but he was never forgotten,” Sheriff Joe Roybal said in a statement. “While identifying him is a significant milestone, our work is not done. We remain dedicated to pursuing justice and determining the circumstances surrounding his death.”

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Paskovich’s father served in the Air Force and was stationed at what was then known as the Ent Air Force Base in the Knob Hill neighborhood of Colorado Springs. At the time, Paskovich attended Widefield High School and was a member of the Cub Scout Pack 173 before his family relocated to Texas.

Investigators confirmed that he was back in the Colorado Springs area in 1985. They believe he was killed between July and December of that year.

“While nothing can bring Pete back, we are deeply grateful to everyone who refused to give up on him. Having our brother’s identity restored brings us a measure of peace,” Richard Paskovich said in the news release.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has 19 cold homicide cases and seven missing person cases with suspicious circumstances, according to the Sheriff’s Office website.

Anyone who knew Paskovich is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office’s tipline at 719-520-7777 or the Pikes Peak Area Crime Stoppers at 719-634-7867. Anonymous tips can also be submitted here.