FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. – DNA analysis has led to the positive identification of human remains found in western Fremont County in September 2016, authorities say.
After more than a year of testing and investigation, the remains were identified earlier this month as Remzi Nesfield, who authorities say is estimated to have been 23 years old when he died.
The remains were found by a hiker on the west side of the county on Sept. 28, 2016. The Fremont County sheriff’s office and coroner’s office investigated the scene, and the remains were turned over to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy to be conducted.
Following the autopsy, the remains were sent to a forensic anthropologist, Dr. Diane France, for further anthropological investigation. She sent DNA samples to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, where they were analyzed and a facial reconstruction of the man was done.
The sheriff’s office put the facial reconstruction out through various media outlets, and authorities received several tips, it says.
After a negative DNA match, a positive match was found through a national DNA database, and the remains were identified as those of Nesfield.
The sheriff’s office says county coroner Randy Keller recently notified Nesfield’s family that his remains had been discovered, and said the circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation. The sheriff’s office did not release more information about Nesfield.
“Hopefully the notification will help to bring closure to the family who have been dealing with a long-term missing family member,” Keller said in a statement.
