The resurrection of near 39-year-old cold case has prompted Richmond RCMP to issue an appeal to the public.
Local Mounties are asking for help in identifying a man whose body was found during dredging of the south arm of the Fraser River in 1976.
On June 23 that year, crew members from government dredging vessel Samson V found a man's body floating in the river near the No. 4 Road dyke.
Richmond RCMP responded at the time and initiated an investigation to identify the man and to determine the cause of his death.
He was described by police as a light-skinned male of Aboriginal descent, with blue eyes and gray hair. He was in his late 40s to early 50s and was 5' 9" tall, weighing between 170 and 200 pounds.
He was wearing size 36 jeans, two pairs of socks (green nylon and grey wool), and a single, size 9 leather slip-on boot.
Medical evidence suggested that he underwent spinal fusion surgery somewhere in North America, perhaps during the 1960s.
An autopsy revealed that the male's rear molars were missing. The pathologist determined that cause of death was due to drowning. There was no indication of foul play.
Files relating to missing males around the time were cross-referenced but no matches were found. Fingerprint and dental record matching have been unsuccessful.
This file remains open with the Richmond RCMP Serious Crime Unit and investigators are seeking the public's help for any information that may assist in the man’s identification. If you have any information, contact Cpl. Bob Basanti at the Richmond RCMP Serious Crime Unit at 604-278-1212.
