# Who was the Somerton Man? · Somerton Man (Tamam Shud) > Three answers have been proposed. He was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in… leads… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/somerton-man/questions/QST0CVC20FM0WNT/who-was-the-somerton-man Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:49+00:00 --- **0** # Who was the Somerton Man? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: he was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. He was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in… leads, with evidence 2 for, 1 against: supported by its tests. Two are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters For 73 years the case turned on the man's identity. The 2022 DNA identification is widely reported as the answer, but it has not been confirmed by police or the coroner, and the record should show both⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PYY2H6E/the-somerton-man-identified)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PQ46YF7/dna-leads-to-id-of-australias-somerton-man-researchers-say)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PFA0V0E/sa-police-report-to-coroner-into-somerton-man-case-complete). ## Answers 3 [**He was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/somerton-man/answers/ANS0CVC21EW67KQ/he-was-carl-charles-webb-born-in-footscray-in-1905-an) Supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for, 1 against Most likely [**He was another named candidate (H. C. Reynolds, Carl Halban, or a relative of Jessica Thomson).** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/somerton-man/answers/ANS0CVC22E47Q9R/he-was-another-named-candidate-h-c-reynolds-carl-halban-or-a) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 2 against Disputed [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/somerton-man/answers/ANS0CVC235J1DAH/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2022[Identifinders International puts forward: he was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PYY2H6E/the-somerton-man-identified) 1. 2022[Bonvillian: autosomal DNA from hair in the death mask matched distant cousins on both the paternal and maternal sides of…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PQ46YF7/dna-leads-to-id-of-australias-somerton-man-researchers-say)For: He was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in… 1. 2022[Identifinders International: webb's sister Freda married Thomas Keane, matching the 'T. Keane' and 'Keane' names on clothes in the…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PYY2H6E/the-somerton-man-identified)For: He was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in… 1. 2022[Identifinders International: robin Thomson, proposed as the man's son on shared rare ear and tooth traits, was ruled out by DNA.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PYY2H6E/the-somerton-man-identified)Against: He was another named candidate (H. C. Reynolds, Carl Halban, or a relative of Jessica Thomson). 1. 2026[Boisvert: south Australia Police have not confirmed the identification; as of July 2026 their report to the coroner was…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CVC1PFA0V0E/sa-police-report-to-coroner-into-somerton-man-case-complete)Against: He was Carl "Charles" Webb, born in Footscray in 1905, an electrical instrument maker who left Melbourne in… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/somerton-man/questions/QST0CVC20FM0WNT/who-was-the-somerton-man%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/somerton-man/questions/QST0CVC20FM0WNT/who-was-the-somerton-man%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/somerton-man/questions/QST0CVC20FM0WNT/who-was-the-somerton-man%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/somerton-man/questions/QST0CVC20FM0WNT/who-was-the-somerton-man%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/somerton-man/questions/QST0CVC20FM0WNT/who-was-the-somerton-man%23add-source) Where it fits Somerton Man (Tamam Shud) **Who was the Somerton Man?** Key question · you're here [Did Jessica Thomson know the man?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/somerton-man/questions/QST0CVC21721ZM4/did-jessica-thomson-know-the-man)Most likely · she did not know him; the number came to be in the book some other way [ Ask a question under this one ]