Remains Found Over 40 Years Ago Finally Identified as Former O'Jays Group Member Frank Little Jr.

On Tuesday, partial human remains found over 40 years ago in Twinsburg, Ohio were identified as former O’Jays group member Frank “Frankie” Little Jr.

Per CNN, the remains were discovered inside of a garbage bag by local police after a worker spotted a skull laying in the snow behind the building of a now-closed business back in 1982. The discovery is due largely in part to the DNA Doe Project, a genealogical research nonprofit that seeks to identify “Jane and John Does,” that provided police with a list of potential relatives. Those relatives gave Little’s name and a DNA sample, which was later used to confirm the identity of those remains.

According to News5 Cleveland, per Twinsburg Detective Eric Hendershott, Little was a guitarist and songwriter for The O’Jays back in the sixties and often accompanied them in the studio and on tours. He was also a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army for two years and was deployed at one point to Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Little was also a father of two, a daughter who passed away in 2012 and a son who has not yet been found or identified.

Upon hearing the news, The O’Jays said in a statement: “He [Little] came with us when we first ventured out of Cleveland and traveled to Los Angeles, but he also was in love with a woman in Cleveland that he missed so much that he soon returned back to Cleveland after a short amount of time. We wish his family and friends closure to what appears to be a very sad story.”

Added Eddie Levert, “I never would have thought this would happen to him. I don’t know why anyone would do him like that.”

The medical examiner has ruled Little’s death a homicide and will continue to investigate what happened. Little’s remains are expected to be given to his surviving relatives for a proper burial.