Remains ID’d as Paulding County man missing since 2013
Thomas Joe Kratzer. Courtesy of National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - Paulding County authorities have identified skeletal remains discovered in 2021 as those of a Dallas man reported missing more than a decade ago.
What we know:
The family of Thomas Joe Kratzer, a white male born Jan. 18, 1959, reported him missing on Feb. 4, 2014, after not hearing from him since the previous October. He was entered into the GCIC/NCIC database as a missing person, but the case went cold for years with no new leads.
On Sept. 22, 2021, a property owner preparing land for a residential build discovered skeletal remains. Deputies responded and secured the scene as detectives and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents conducted a thorough search, recovering a skull and several bones. No identification or signs of trauma were located, and the remains were entered into NAMUS as unidentified.
GBI anthropologists determined the remains belonged to a Caucasian male between 24 and 60 years old, but comparisons to regional missing persons cases yielded no match. In 2023, the remains were sent to Othram, a forensic DNA laboratory, for advanced testing. Initial efforts to secure federal funding were unsuccessful because there was no evidence of homicide. In 2025, however, the Cold Case Unit, with support from the District Attorney’s Office, allocated funds seized from a criminal enterprise to proceed with the analysis.
Othram’s work produced a presumptive DNA match to Kratzer, which was later confirmed using a comparison sample from his sister.
What they're saying:
"This identification brings long-awaited answers to the Kratzer family," Sheriff Henson said. "It also demonstrates the unwavering dedication of our Cold Case Unit and our commitment to using every available resource and technology to bring closure to families and justice to those who have been lost."
What you can do:
Anyone with information about cold cases is urged to contact the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 770-443-3047 or submit information through the Paulding Sheriff mobile app.