(NEW YORK) — Human skeletal remains found deep in a wooded area of Pennsylvania has been identified by authorities as belonging to Christopher Story, a man who suddenly and mysteriously went missing almost 10 years ago.
Christopher Story was last seen around 11:00 p.m. on Aug. 11, 2013, at his residence in New Castle, Pennsylvania — a town located just over 50 miles north of Pittsburgh.
“He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, khaki shorts, a dark ball cap, and black shoes,” read the FBI missing person’s statement released in 2013. “He left behind his wallet, phone charger, and medication.”
At the time of Story’s disappearance, the FBI warned that he “has surgical pins/rods in his spine and may walk with a limp” and that, since he didn’t have his medication, Story “may appear agitated and may also appear confused or suffer hallucinations.”
However, on Wednesday, the New Castle Police Department confirmed that human skeletal remains found in Taylor Township — less than five miles away from where Story went missing — belonged to the man who had been missing for more than nine years.
“The NCPD has continued to aggressively investigate this case since that date attempting to find Chris Story and determine what happened to him,” said the New Castle Police Department following the discovery.
The Coroner’s Office and the New Castle Police Detective Bureau along with assistance from the FBI and K9 cadaver dogs managed to recover the skeletal remains over the past several weeks, authorities said.
“After examining the remains and looking for certain medical characteristics and comparing X-rays, Coroner Richard ‘RJ’ Johnson notified the detectives and New Castle Police that the remain are those of missing person Chris Story,” the NCPD confirmed on Wednesday.
Story’s family has since been notified of the findings and that their loved one has been found, police said.
The investigation into what happened to Story and how he died is still ongoing and the coroner has not made a ruling on the cause or manner of death, the NCPD said in their statement released to the public on Wednesday.
Story’s remains will now be sent out to the FBI for forensic testing and police say they are still actively investigating his death.
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