Officials unable to ID remains found in Idaho lake
COEUR d'ALENE, Idaho (AP) — The Bonner County Sheriff's Office has been unable to identify human remains recovered from the bottom of Priest Lake six years ago and has classified the case as unsolved.
Sgt. Gary Johnson said Tuesday the agency didn't want the investigation to end that way. But scientists at Boise State University and other scientific laboratories were unable to extract any human DNA from the samples found in 322 feet of water off the tip of Eight Mile Island.
"We're kind of at a standstill at this point," Johnson told the Spokesman-Review. "I still have 12 people presumed lost or missing in Priest Lake."
The investigation began in 2004 when an underwater recovery company was contracted to find a lost Kennewick firefighter whose boat was found floating in the area.
The remains were discovered using sonar, but investigators concluded the remains had been in the water longer than the missing firefighter.
Johnston said the outcome of the case is disappointing because so many family members of people presumed drowned in Priest Lake are waiting for closure. Johnston said the sheriff's office will continue to investigate any new leads regarding missing persons.
The sheriff's office has a list of 12 missing persons dating back to the early 1900s.
"For us and the resources we have at hand, that was the best we could do," Johnson said.
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Information from: The Spokesman-Review
Sgt. Gary Johnson said Tuesday the agency didn't want the investigation to end that way. But scientists at Boise State University and other scientific laboratories were unable to extract any human DNA from the samples found in 322 feet of water off the tip of Eight Mile Island.
"We're kind of at a standstill at this point," Johnson told the Spokesman-Review. "I still have 12 people presumed lost or missing in Priest Lake."
The investigation began in 2004 when an underwater recovery company was contracted to find a lost Kennewick firefighter whose boat was found floating in the area.
The remains were discovered using sonar, but investigators concluded the remains had been in the water longer than the missing firefighter.
Johnston said the outcome of the case is disappointing because so many family members of people presumed drowned in Priest Lake are waiting for closure. Johnston said the sheriff's office will continue to investigate any new leads regarding missing persons.
The sheriff's office has a list of 12 missing persons dating back to the early 1900s.
"For us and the resources we have at hand, that was the best we could do," Johnson said.
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Information from: The Spokesman-Review
