Human remains recovered in Monroe County after Hurricane Irma identified

MONROE COUNTY, Fla. —

Officials have identified human remains that were recovered in Monroe County following Hurricane Irma in 2017.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the remains were confirmed as those of James Donald Schlake, a 77-year-old man from Key Largo.

"FDLE's Key West Field Office and Forensic Services turned over every stone to identify Mr. Schlake," said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass via FDLE news release. "Our statewide forensic resources and strong partnerships are critical to supporting Florida's communities and law enforcement agencies. This collaboration helped bring long‑awaited answers to Mr. Schlake's loved ones and to the Florida Keys community."

Schlake's body was found in a debris pile in Big Pine Key during search-and-rescue operations on Sept. 14, 2017. Investigators were unable to identify the remains due to the advanced state of decomposition, according to the FDLE news release.

FDLE said the Monroe County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be drowning and ruled the manner of Schlake's death to be accidental.

A sample was submitted to the FDLE's crime laboratories for analysis in December 2023. In June 2025, a sample was forwarded to Othram Inc. for advanced DNA sequencing and genetic genealogy research. According to the news release, investigators confirmed the remains were of Schlake in December 2025 after potential genetic relatives were identified.

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