A name match is a lead
Shared surnames, initials and job titles can create plausible connections without establishing identity. Keep the exact form used by each source. J. Vale, Mr. Vale and the night supervisor may refer to one person, but the file needs to support that link. If you merge them immediately, every later detail can inherit an identity assumption that becomes difficult to notice.
Worked example: two rosters
A token numbered twenty appears beside J. Vale on an early roster and another name on a later list. The token may have been reassigned rather than borrowed. A dated allocation record can distinguish those possibilities. The number connects the records to an object; it does not make every named holder the same person or establish that one was present during the other's shift.
Maintain an identity note
List the supporting connection beside each proposed match: full name in a reply, shared address explicitly confirmed, or a record stating the role change. Also keep any conflicting dates or details visible. In Somatry, this is a way to organize the supplied evidence, not a reason to search for real people outside the game. A careful identity link lets you combine records confidently; an unsupported one should remain a question rather than quietly becoming part of the case's foundation.