The “Otonabee River Man” case has stumped cops for many years till they have been capable of determine the sufferer utilizing state-of-the-art DNA expertise.
Now there’s a hunt to seek out anybody who knew Gerald Durocher, who officers mentioned had connections all through Ontario, however particularly Ottawa. Durocher was identified to frequent the Vendome Lodge, which was close to Somerset and Rochester streets earlier than it was torn down.
In July 1988, leisure divers discovered a human cranium within the Otonabee River, within the City of Peterborough, simply 130 ft from the shore of a residential space. A postmortem was performed and it revealed it belonged to a male and that he was the sufferer of a murder.
Additional air and water searches have been finished however the remainder of the physique was by no means discovered.
As years progressed additional DNA testing turned accessible permitting cops to finally determine the cranium because the stays of Durocher. He was born in 1949 and on the time of his demise would have been 38 years previous.
In 2021, officers despatched the proof to Texas which has a state-of-the-art forensics crew with expertise that would construct a DNA profile of the sufferer. Utilizing this crew, police discovered two potential kin of Durocher and interviewed them. It was by way of this course of that additional DNA testing by the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service led to the identification of the sufferer.
“This case has never been forgotten and over the last three decades various methods were used in an attempt to identify the remains,” officers mentioned.
As police proceed the sluggish investigation of the case, they’re hoping the general public may also help put the items collectively.
“Investigators are encouraging anyone with information pertaining to Durocher, or his death to come forward, noting that sometimes even the small details can play a large part in solving a case,” they mentioned.
These with data are requested to name Detective Constable Lacey White at 705-876-1122 ext. 266.
