CANADA Canada - 6 Missing Teens, Pickering, Ontario, 17 March 1995

[Hamsterdance]

The online petition set up by Jay Boyle's cousin for DNA testing on the unidentified body found in Niagara Region back in 1998 is growing, and Weblseuthers can help it grow large enough to make a difference! It is currently at approximately 4450 supporters. Together we can help put a name to unidentified remains and help the families get some answers.

Please sign and share the petition! Thank-you.

http://www.change.org/petitions/province-of-ontario-dna-testing-on-human-remains

Special thank-you to Tricia and SoSueMe for the front page banner created to highlight this case http://www.websleuths.com/forums/ , and to Kimster, CatFancier and all the mods who helped pass along the request :loveyou:

 

[Snoopster]

The online petition set up by Jay Boyle's cousin for DNA testing on the unidentified body found in Niagara Region back in 1998 is growing, and Weblseuthers can help it grow large enough to make a difference! It is currently at approximately 4450 supporters. Together we can help put a name to unidentified remains and help the families get some answers.

Please sign and share the petition! Thank-you.

http://www.change.org/petitions/province-of-ontario-dna-testing-on-human-remains

Special thank-you to Tricia and SoSueMe for the front page banner created to highlight this case http://www.websleuths.com/forums/ , and to Kimster, CatFancier and all the mods who helped pass along the request :loveyou:

Yes, thank you for highlighting this case, WS! I live in Ontario and I hadn't heard of it before!

 

[brighidin]

I remember this. I lived in Etobicoke at the time. I was 20 and now I have an 18 year old son. Can't imagine the pain the families are feeling. I will definitely sign the petition.

Also, WTF re: police finding bodies and then not doing anything about it.

 

[Hamsterdance]

2 new articles, with more details and information from both sides. No matter what the initial investigation found about the remains, what harm could it do to test the DNA? If there is a match, then the family can claim the remains and lay them to rest properly. If there is not, then they would at least have the DNA on file for another family to claim the remains.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/18/leave-no-stone-unturned-in-case-of-missing-teens

"Meanwhile, police have said they did their own investigation and bone testing and have come to the conclusion that other than the colour of the jeans, there is little else to suggest a match."

"“The body, recovered by the Niagara Regional Police, was wearing pants, belt and shoes similar in description to those owned by Jay Boyle at the time of his disappearance."

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2014/03/18/search-for-missing-teens-hits-another-dead-end-2

"Detective Mark Sheridan said the case has never been closed. After being told by the family about the jeans and the remains, Sheridan contacted the coroner to see if any testing could be done."

“The testing done in 1998 determined the bones were between 25-60,” Sheridan said. “The location where the bones and the jeans were found defies physics for it to be Jay Boyle.

“We are certainly open to any information. When I found out about it in the fall, we took DNA testing from mom in case we could do some testing and follow up."

3rd link- identical article as above, from Niagara Falls Review:
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2014/03/18/search-for-missing-teens-hits-another-dead-end-2

I don't know anything about forensics, but it makes me wonder about the initial coroner report on the remains, that perhaps there were other factors that may have affected the bones to make them seem older. A simple DNA test on the remains will give the answer once and for all.

 

[Miranda]

https://www.facebook.com/lostboys95

 

[Hamsterdance]

https://www.facebook.com/lostboys95

Thank you very much Miranda for linking that page! To paraphrase one of the posts from admin of the lostboys95 facebook page, the difficulty with getting the DNA is coming from the forensic anthropologist, NOT the police departments that are working with the family. They are getting support from police and politicians with this open and active investigation. Thank-you to everyone involved in helping the families with this matter!

 

[walkingdeadgirl]

I signed and posted the petition to my FB page. <3

 

[Kimster]

What an interesting case! I never looked into it until now. Thank you, Hamsterdance!

 

[Hamsterdance]

Thank you very much Miranda for linking that page! To paraphrase one of the posts from admin of the lostboys95 facebook page, the difficulty with getting the DNA is coming from the forensic anthropologist, NOT the police departments that are working with the family. They are getting support from police and politicians with this open and active investigation. Thank-you to everyone involved in helping the families with this matter!

Quoting myself to make an important note of change to the petition page, that in light of the bolded information above from the Lost Boys Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lostboys95 , the Petition is NOT aimed at the Niagara or Durham police, who are working with the family in this open investigation. The petition is aimed at: Petitioning Province of Ontario for DNA testing on human remains

http://www.change.org/petitions/province-of-ontario-dna-testing-on-human-remains

 

[Hamsterdance]

There is a message on the facebook page confirming the change in petition title to address the Province, and thanking everyone who has shown unity by sharing and supporting the petition.

 

[Hilda Swenson]

This makes absolutely no sense to me why they won't test the remains. Yes I too signed the petition. These families deserve an answer and some peace, it's been long enough.

http://www.change.org/petitions/niagara-regional-police-dna-testing-on-human-remains

 

[Rosiethorn]

This is so sad! Poor families. I have signed the petition, don't have fb to share. I hope they get the dna testing done, it will be an answer one way or another. I don't know anything about the area, or the waters there but i'm sure there could be a explanation as to how the bodies would have ended up there, I don't think that is a good enough reason not to test IMO.

 

[Paul]

The remains that were found were above Niagara Falls. For the boys to get there, they'd have to drive an overloaded 12-foot boat about 38 miles across Lake Ontario at night, and then go another 7 miles up the navigable part of the lower Niagara River, and then get out and walk another 8 miles (on city streets) to get around the falls.

So I'd have to agree with the detective who said it "defies physics".

One article says that maybe an animal dragged the remains to the location. But what kind of animal? A bear? It would still have to get through several miles of city streets without anyone noticing. So that's unlikely too.

A real "Boston Whaler" boat will keep floating no matter what, but the boat they stole was a copy and probably didn't have the same foam core construction to keep it floating. So it probably just sank right to the bottom of Lake Ontario.

 

[Sonya610]

Wow, if the remains of a young male wearing those red pants were found in that lake what are the chances that it is NOT that missing kid?

Seriously how many guys even wear red pants? It most likely IS him!

 

[SideKick]

Wow is right.
Perhaps they made it over to the border? Would that even be possible?
I read a comment on one of the news reports that they were wondering more about Jamie Lefebvre one of the boys missing, as he may resemble the Grateful Dead boy, 'Jason'.
Grateful Dead Fan - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community
.... if they made it there, one went to the Niagara region and one hitched a ride to the concert?

 

[Sonya610]

There is an online petition to request DNA testing of a body that was found in 1998, that the family recently became aware of.

So they found the body 16 years ago. What do they do with unidentified bodies after this amount of time? Bury them and keep some dna evidence in an evidence locker somewhere?

I know that identified but unclaimed bodies are often cremated then held for a certain amount of time before being buried in a public mass grave.

 

[~n/t~]

Jamie Lefebvre

Jason - Grateful Dead

 

[Hamsterdance]

Thank-you ~n/t~ !! I saw that as well, and started looking for other photos when my stupid computer crashed.

Sonya- I don't know how long they keep remains stored, but when I checked the website there were quite a few. I would hope they'd be kept indefinitely in case they are needed for a match. I don't know how it works, but it would be great if each persons DNA was kept on file.

 

[Hamsterdance]

http://www.canadasmissing.ca/index-eng.htm

 

[~n/t~]

Do we know if Jamie was a Grateful Dead fan?