Mysterious case of body found in Fraser River in 1976 prompts police appeal
Unidentified drowned man was missing his rear molars and was wearing only one shoe
Richmond RCMP are asking for the public's help in a mysterious cold case, involving a man whose body was discovered floating in the Fraser River — in 1976.
Crew of the government dredging vessel, Samson V, found the man's remains floating in the south arm of the Fraser River near the No. 4 Road dyke on June 23, 1976.
Over nearly 39 years, attempts to figure out who the man was have hit a "blockade," said Corp. Dennis Hwang of Richmond RCMP.
There were no fingerprint or dental record matches, and no missing men reported at the time that fit the man's description.
When the file crossed Hwang's desk he decided to ask the public for help.
"[This] is the last-ditch effort, we haven't been able to make much progress in identifying the remains, so we're hoping maybe it will jog somebody's memory and assist us."
"The actual family members if they're still surviving, or somebody else, they deserve to know what's happened to their loved one if they don't already know."
A pathologist found the man died from drowning, but there was no indication of foul play, according to police.
2 pairs of socks and 1 boot
The man was found wearing size 36 jeans, two pairs of socks in green nylon and grey wool, and a single size 9 leather boot, say police.
He is described as:
- A light-skinned male of Aboriginal descent.
- Blue eyes and grey hair.
- Late 40s to early 50s in age.
- Five feet nine inches tall.
- Weighing 170-200 pounds.
The man's rear molars were missing, and he had undergone spinal fusion surgery somewhere in North America, "perhaps during the 1960s," according to the police release.
Anyone with information can call Corp. Bob Basanti at the Richmond RCMP Serious Crime unit at 604-278-1212.