The Somerton Man

The Somerton Man refers to an unidentified man found dead on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, Australia, on December 1, 1948. The case remains one of Australia's most famous unsolved mysteries.

Key details:

The Man: Found well-dressed in a suit and tie, with no visible signs of trauma or a clear cause of death.

Possessions: He had no identification, and most labels were removed from his clothing. His pockets contained strange items, including a torn piece of paper with the phrase "Tamám Shud," meaning "ended" or "finished" in Persian. This phrase was traced to a rare copy of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

Cause of Death: The autopsy revealed no clear cause, but it was suspected that he may have been poisoned, although no trace of poison was found.

Theories: Speculation has ranged from espionage during the Cold War era to unrequited love. Some believe he was involved in covert activities, while others think the case may be tied to a woman named Jo Thomson, who lived near where his body was found and was connected to the Rubaiyat.

The mystery deepened with the discovery of a secret code in the book and the lack of any conclusive identification. The case remains unsolved, though new efforts using DNA technology have been made in recent years to identify the Somerton Man.

Timeline of the Somerton Man Case

1 December 1948:

Discovery of the Body: An unidentified man, now known as the Somerton Man, is found dead on Somerton Beach near Adelaide, Australia. He is dressed in a suit and tie, lying propped against a seawall. Initial reports suggest he died while sleeping, as there are no signs of violence or struggle.

Early December 1948:

Investigation Begins: Police search for identification but find none. The labels on his clothing have been removed. He has a half-smoked cigarette, bus tickets, and a few other personal items, but nothing that gives away his identity.

17 January 1949:

Autopsy Results: The autopsy reveals no obvious cause of death, though experts suspect poisoning. The heart was normal, but the stomach and liver showed signs of congestion, which is often associated with poisoning, though no foreign substances are found in his body.
June 1949:

“Tamám Shud” Paper: A small, rolled-up piece of paper with the words "Tamám Shud" is found hidden in the man’s fob pocket. It translates from Persian as "ended" or "finished." Investigators trace the phrase to the final page of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, a collection of poems.

July 1949:

Copy of the Rubaiyat Found: A local man comes forward with a copy of The Rubaiyat that had been thrown into the back of his car. In this book, the final page containing "Tamám Shud" had been torn out. This discovery connects the book to the Somerton Man. In the back of the book, a series of cryptic letters is found, resembling a code.
Details and Evidence
Clothing and Appearance: The Somerton Man was well-groomed and appeared to be in his 40s. His clothes were of American style but bore no labels. His shoes were highly polished, indicating he had not been walking around for long.
Mysterious Book: The Rubaiyat is linked to both the man and a woman known as Jo Thomson ("Jestyn"). Thomson lived near Somerton Beach and reportedly had given a copy of the book to an acquaintance during World War II. When police showed her the man’s photo, she seemed visibly shaken, though she denied knowing him.
Code in the Rubaiyat: The back of the book contained a sequence of letters that many believe to be a code. Several cryptographers and intelligence experts have tried to crack it, but it remains unsolved to this day.

Investigations Over the Years

1950s-1980s: Periodic interest in the case led to new theories, including espionage. The timing (during the Cold War) and the cryptic nature of the evidence fueled speculation that the Somerton Man was a spy.
Jo Thomson's Connection: In later years, suspicions continued to revolve around Jo Thomson (aka "Jestyn"), as she was connected to the Rubaiyat and reacted strongly to photos of the Somerton Man. Her son, Robin, was also linked to the case because of physical resemblances between him and the Somerton Man, particularly the shape of their ears and dental features, suggesting they could be related.

New Revelations in Recent Years

2011: Adelaide University Professor Derek Abbott begins a renewed investigation into the case, proposing that Robin Thomson could be the son of the Somerton Man. This theory was based on genetic traits and physical similarities.

2013: Professor Abbott petitions to have the Somerton Man’s body exhumed for DNA testing, but this is initially denied.

2021 (July): The Somerton Man’s body is exhumed after a successful appeal, with the aim of conducting modern DNA analysis. The results of this testing could help to finally identify him and perhaps confirm familial links to Robin Thomson.

2022 (July): Abbott and American genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick claim they have identified the Somerton Man as Carl "Charles" Webb, an electrical engineer and instrument maker born in 1905 in Melbourne. Using DNA analysis and genealogical mapping, they trace his family tree to living relatives. Webb had no known children or direct connection to espionage. The reasons for his presence in Adelaide and the circumstances of his death remain unclear.

Ongoing Mysteries

In conclusion, the three best explanations for who the Somerton Man was, how, and why he died are:

Carl "Charles" Webb, Accidental Death: Based on the 2022 DNA analysis, the Somerton Man was likely Carl Webb, an engineer from Melbourne. He may have traveled to Adelaide following personal issues, such as separation from his wife. The cause of death could have been accidental poisoning or an overdose, as he may have been depressed or struggling mentally. This explains his isolated presence in Adelaide but leaves open the question of why the cryptic items were on him.

Suicide by Poisoning: The presence of the "Tamám Shud" (meaning "ended") paper suggests a possible symbolic gesture. Webb may have been contemplating suicide and chose the secluded beach to end his life. The lack of labels on his clothing and the cryptic code could indicate that he wanted to erase his identity. The poison theory fits, but no traces were found, likely due to the limitations of testing in 1948.

Espionage or Covert Activity: Another strong theory, fueled by the cryptic code in The Rubaiyat, Cold War timing, and the unexplained circumstances of his death, is that the Somerton Man was involved in espionage. The removed labels and mysterious book suggest covert activities. Though the DNA identification of Carl Webb points to a civilian identity, this theory argues that Webb could have been working undercover, and his death might have been a murder staged to appear as natural or accidental.