Researchers Identify Two Boys Who Died At Old Dozer Reform School

September 26, 2014

University of South Florida researchers on Thursday announced the identification of two sets of remains found at the site of a former Northwest Florida reform school.

The decades-old remains were of Thomas Varnadoe, who died at age 13, and Earl Wilson, who died at 12. They were the second and third children whose remains were identified after being recovered from graves at the former Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in the Jackson County town of Marianna.

University researchers began exhumations last year after questions arose about whether boys suffered abuse and died at the school, with their bodies buried in unmarked graves.

“There is closure for three families,” U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said. “I suspect there will be closure for many more in the near future.”

In January, the researchers announced they had exhumed 55 sets of remains from the school grounds. Last month, they announced they had identified the remains of George Owen Smith, who went to Dozier at age 14 in 1940 and was never seen by his family again.

Nelson credited Varnadoe’s nephew, Glen Varnadoe of Polk County, for filing a lawsuit to prevent the state from selling the now-closed school site until researchers from the university could search the grounds.

The state hopes to sell the 1,400-acre Dozier site eventually, a move that has been put on hold by the investigation. In September 2013, Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet gave the research team a one-year window to search the site for more unaccounted-for bodies.

“I am overwhelmed that we have achieved the goal we originally set of removing him from a place of atrocity-laden soils,” Varnadoe said of his uncle.

Thomas Varnadoe was sent to Dozier in September 1934 and died 34 days after being admitted, according to information from the university. His death certificate said the youth died of pneumonia. Ultimately, researchers matched the DNA of Thomas Varnadoe and his brother, Richard.

Wilson was admitted to Dozier in August 1944 and later was moved with eight other students to a cottage known as the “sweat box,” the university said in information released Thursday. Court documents indicated Wilson was killed by four of the students and that the cause of death was listed as blunt trauma to the head.

The university said researchers found Wilson’s grave in an area of the Dozier site where marked crosses had been ceremoniously placed during the 1990s. The university said the crosses did not accurately reflect the location of grave shafts or the number of bodies buried in the vicinity.

Wilson’s DNA was matched with DNA collected from his sister, Cherry Wilson of Lakeland. She and three other relatives also participated in a press conference Thursday in Tampa.

Also on hand was state Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, to whom Varnadoe had turned for help.

“I couldn’t believe that was something that could happen in this state,” Stargel said.

The researchers are still trying to locate family members to help identify other sets of remains.

“There are still a lot of mysteries out there,” Nelson said. “The investigation, really, has just begun.”

by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida

Comments

8 Responses to “Researchers Identify Two Boys Who Died At Old Dozer Reform School”

  1. CD on October 1st, 2014 4:19 am

    Growing up, I was acquainted with several boys who had “done time in Marianna”. They told of horrible beatings both from the guards and by boys that the guards would instruct to beat one of the other boys. Horrible! And what of the families of these boys? Did they keep in contact with their children? Maybe they were told the boys died of some sickness. Did families ever try to claim the bodies of their children? One year is simply not enough time. This calls for a massive investigation and should also lead to investigations of other such state facilities!

  2. Eric on September 27th, 2014 3:40 pm

    Why did the governor limit the investigation to one year? An arbitrary time period. I say keep it unsold until investigators are certain all remains have been found.

  3. Michelle on September 27th, 2014 7:37 am

    This is so heart-breaking. May more families find peace and justice for their lost loved ones.

  4. sean on September 26th, 2014 4:53 pm

    I was there in 04 to 06 they stopped beating ppl on record….. they did it in private instead

  5. Donna Sanders on September 26th, 2014 11:55 am

    My late husband was in there for 4 years. He told me all about the bad stuff that he had to go through and what happened to him while in there. The beatings with straps. They would tie them across 50gl. drums and beat them with leather straps. I could see the pain in his eyes as he talked about this place.

  6. anne on September 26th, 2014 8:53 am

    I totally agree with the first post. Someone still alive knows the story of what exactly went on out there and the families need closure.

  7. Gene on September 26th, 2014 8:23 am

    I believe that there needs to be feds involved and search extended outside the fence. Who know if there are hundreds?

    Question? …is there records of how many went missing over the years?

  8. 429SCJ on September 26th, 2014 7:11 am

    Even at this late date efforts should be made to locate any of the guards or wardens who staffed the school. It is possible that there are many who are still alive.

    Even to this day there are still war criminals being located and tried for crimes against humanity. It is never too late for them to be held accountable and for justice to be served.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News