Police identify human remains found in 2005

A set of human remains found in Lively in April 2005 have been positively identified through DNA analysis.

The remains have been identified as Patrick Soikie, of Kitchener-Waterloo, who had been missing since 2000. He was 32-years-old when he went missing.

Due to a lack of information, his cause of death has been ruled as undetermined, though Greater Sudbury Police have no reason to suspect foul play.

The remains were found by a Walden resident who was driving on back roads in the Municipal Road 24 and Highway 144 area in Lively. He noticed something in the bush and found the remains, and contacted police.

Initial investigation into the limited and decomposed remains led Greater Sudbury Police to believe the deceased was female, and an "extensive investigation" into missing women across Canada was opened.

DNA was successfully extracted from teeth taken from the jaw of the remains, and in the fall of 2008, a DNA profile was established by the Greater Sudbury Police and the Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS).

Continued DNA testing revealed the remains were actually male, so the investigation began to focus on the files of missing men.

Through this investigation, police became aware that Soikie, who had been travelling west for work, had stopped over in Greater Sudbury. He had been released from the North East Mental Health Centre in Sudbury shortly before he went missing.

He suffered from schizophrenia, and had left his home in October 1999 to find employment in Brandon, Manitoba.

Dental records and DNA provided by Soikie's mother confirmed the remains are those of the missing man.

The remains are being returned to the Soikie family for a private family service.