Undersheriff Gerardo Castillo said how important it was to finally “give closure” to David Alan McInroy’s family
Credit: ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Investigators discovered human remains at Arizona’s Patagonia State Park in April 1978
- While the condition of the remains left investigators with no way to identify the man, they determined that the victim, likely a young adult male between the ages of 18 and 24, died by drowning
- Nearly 50 years later, investigators used DNA technology to confirm that the remains belonged to David Alan McInroy
Human remains discovered nearly 50 years ago at an Arizona state park have since been identified as a missing Canadian man.
Earlier this month, the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office announced that the remains that were found on April 28, 1978, at Patagonia Lake State Park in Santa Cruz County have been identified as belonging to David Alan McInroy, according to CP24, CBS affiliate KOLD and The Winnipeg Sun.
Investigators discovered the remains alongside a few articles of clothing — including denim cut-off shorts with a “Made in Canada” tag, white Jockey-brand shorts, dark-colored socks and ankle-high walking boots, according to DNA laboratory Othram.
While the condition of the remains left investigators with no way to identify the man, they determined that he died by drowning and was likely a young man between the ages of 18 and 24, Othram said.
“The individual also had no identification on them whatsoever,” Undersheriff Gerardo Castillo told CP24 of the man, who became known as “Santa Cruz County John Doe (1978).”
As DNA technology continued to improve over the years, Othram reported that the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office worked with the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office to submit forensic evidence to the Texas-based genetic genealogy firm in August 2024.
Othram then developed a DNA extract and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the man, which was used to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.
Eventually, the investigation led to the positive identification of McInroy, who was born in Ontario on Oct. 13, 1952. He was 26 at the time of his death.
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Noting that McInroy’s loved ones had not been in touch with him since before he found himself in Arizona, Castillo emphasized to CP24 how important it was to finally “give closure” to his family.
The Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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