The College of Utah introduced that is still discovered final 12 months have been recognized as a school pupil who went lacking greater than 50 years in the past.
Cranium fragments discovered close to the summit of Black Mountain in 2024 have been a 99.9 p.c genetic match to a residing relative of Douglas Brick, who went lacking in 1973, the college introduced in a press launch on Tuesday.
The Context
Brick, who was 23 when he disappeared, was final seen leaving his dorm room on October 12, 1973. He was in his fourth 12 months on the College of Utah, the place he studied physics.
College of Utah
What To Know
College Police Main Heather Sturzenegger determined to reopen Brick’s case in 2022.
“For me, I simply wished to attempt to convey closure to the household and resolve the case to allow them to have some peace,” Sturzenegger stated in an announcement. “I’ve at all times had a extremely sturdy feeling that we might be capable of resolve this case.”
She started trying into the case with College Police Detective Jon Dial. That they had little or no data and no information of anybody who knew him. They didn’t know who his roommate was, who reported him lacking or the place police looked for him.
There have been claims that Brick had dropped out of college and moved to Ogden, Utah, that he fled the nation or that he had disappeared within the foothills behind the college.
They found that Brick’s sister had known as College Police in 2018 to inquire concerning the case.
Dial met the sister in California and picked up her DNA by means of a cheek swab. The DNA was then entered right into a nationwide database, however there have been no matches.
In December 2022, Sturzenegger was at a physician’s appointment along with her daughter on the workplace of Dr. Steve Warren. She informed Warren about her work and the case she was investigating. Warren then revealed that he went to the College of Utah in 1973 and his roommate went lacking.
Warren was the one that reported Brick’s disappearance. Warren informed Sturzenegger the place police had been looking for Brick.
“It was an enormous breakthrough, discovered fully by coincidence,” the college stated.
Hunters discovered the cranium fragments in October of final 12 months. Sturzenegger observed that the stays have been discovered close to the search space.
Police obtained permission to ship the stays to a lab specializing in extracting DNA from weathered bones. 5 months later, the outcomes confirmed that the stays belonged to Brick.
Brick’s household thanked the hunter who discovered and reported the stays, in addition to Sturzenegger, Dial and all of the individuals and companies who have been concerned within the case.
“We’re requesting privateness throughout this time of transition,” the household stated.
What Individuals Are Saying
Douglas Brick’s household, in an announcement: “We by no means stopped hoping for solutions about Doug’s disappearance. A few years in the past, we pushed for the chilly case to be reopened with the addition of DNA proof. We’re relieved to lastly have some solutions.”
College of Utah Police Main Heather Sturzenegger: “After I acquired the report, I misplaced my breath. My coronary heart was pounding. I used to be shaking. I used to be considering, am I studying this proper? Is that this him?”
College Police Detective Jon Dial, in an announcement: “I felt a really private connection to Douglas all through this investigation. In a means, it is exhausting to clarify. There was a push and a connection that I felt was from Douglas to this case particularly, in transferring it alongside and being persistent. I’ve felt very strongly that I’ll at all times have Douglas at the back of my thoughts, and his household.”
Dr. Steve Warren, in an announcement: “I can nonetheless image him in his glasses, going to class together with his hard-cased briefcase. I can nonetheless see all of his belongings within the again seat of his automotive—I by no means forgot one factor about it.”
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