Ontario Provincial Police say human remains discovered in the province's Algonquin Park in 1980 have been identified as belonging to a man from Ohio, thanks to investigative genetic genealogy.
Police say investigators located human remains, a boot, wallet, clothing and camping gear after a hiker found remains near the Hardwood Lookout Trail on April 19, 1980.
They say the remains were examined by the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service and the deceased was determined to be a white male between 18 and 21 years old.
Police say investigators estimated that the man had died sometime between 1971 and 1978 but remains were not identified despite comparing them to missing persons reports and making several public appeals.
Police say additional remains were found along the same trail in 1995 and they were confirmed to belong to the same person, and in 2017, a clay facial reconstruction done by a forensic artist resulted in dozens of tips but no identification.
Police submitted the man’s DNA for investigative genetic genealogy analysis in 2022 and the following year they confirmed through family members that the remains belonged to Eric (Ricky) Singer of Cleveland, Ohio.
Police say Singer had last been seen at his parents’ home in Berea, Ohio, on Oct. 4, 1973. Foul play was not suspected in his death.
Singer's sisters travelled this summer to Algonquin Park to walk the trail with investigators and visit the site where their brother spent his final days, OPP said.
Ricky's younger sister Merry Singer said in a statement shared by police that she is grateful the remains of her brother were finally identified.
"Up until this time, I never felt sad because it has been such a long time and you get numb to it," she said.
"This cuts through. I'm honoured, I'm humbled, I'm grateful. He was eventually found. He was identified and we were able to put him to rest and put ourselves to rest."
OPP senior Det. Insp. Sean Chatland said the case highlights how investigative genetic genealogy is helping solve historic cases and provide answers to families.
"This case demonstrates the incredible results that are possible when modern investigative tools, such as investigative genetic genealogy, are used to resolve historic cases and provide long-awaited answers to families," Chatland said in a statement.
"This was one of the most rewarding investigations of my career."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 4, 2025.
Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press
