Peterborough cops have identified a man whose skull was found more than 30 years ago in a river near that city.
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In a news release issued on Wednesday, police said the human remains are those of Gerald Durocher, who would have been 38 years old when he died.
Recreational divers found the man’s skull on July 10, 1988, some 40 metres from shore in the Otonabee River, near Lock and McKeller Sts. in Peterborough, which is located 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto.
Police said an autopsy conducted at the time could only determine the skull belonged to a man who was a victim of homicide.
The man’s body was never recovered, despite officers saying they conducted an extensive search.
A little more than three years ago, Peterborough cops submitted evidence to Texas-based lab Othram, which leverages forensic genealogy to solve cold cases, as well as to the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service, in hopes that advanced testing could provide new leads and help identify the “Otanabee River Man.”
Scientists with Othram built a “comprehensive DNA profile” used by genealogists to identify potential relatives. That information was used to find and interview these people, police said.
“It was through this process, as well as subsequent confirmatory DNA testing by the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service that led to the positive identification of the victim,” Peterborough police said in the news release.
The case “has never been forgotten,” police added, and various methods have been deployed over the last 36 years to identify the victim’s remains.
The investigation has moved forward, but it’s not complete.
“Although we have learned that Gerald was residing in the Ottawa area, we know that he lived a lifestyle that saw him visit many places,” police said in a YouTube video.
“Gerald had connections throughout the province of Ontario, and in the months leading up to his death, he is believed to have frequented the Vendome Hotel, which is located at the intersection of Somerset and Rochester Sts. in Ottawa.”
Investigators said Durocher had additional ties to cities outside of Ontario, including central B.C.
Police are asking anyone with information about Durocher, or his death, to come forward.
“Even the small details can play a large part in solving a case,” police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call 705-876-1122, ext. 266, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.