The Peterborough Police Service continues to investigate the following incidents. Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.stopcrimehere.ca
Missing Person: Michelle Bigras
- Age 18 at time of disappearance.
- Date of Birth – November 08th, 1966
Description
5’2”, 95 lbs. wearing brown suede jacket, blue jeans, blue and white Sparx runners, grey pullover sweater, orange sweater, black hobo type purse, silver necklaces and silver band ring on left hand.
Details
October 11, 1985, Bigras was last spoken to by her mother. At the time she was going to hitchhike to Warkworth Institution located near Warkworth Ontario, Canada to visit her boyfriend but she never arrived.
Missing Person: Marilyn Ann Neely
- Age 33 at time of disappearance.
- Date of Birth – March 18th, 1950
Description
5’7”, 130 lbs. Medium build, short reddish brown hair, green eyes wearing a red ski jacket, blue jeans or crème or yellowish pants, white sweater and beige cowboy boots, carrying a green soft vinyl purse with a white shoulder strap.
Details
When Marilyn NEELY went missing she was driving a 1975 Dodge Dart. This vehicle was located on September 23, 1983 on the Five Point Trail access road approximately 11 km west of Highway #507 at a car park. That same day a female matching her description was observed walking west along the road from that location. She has not been seen since.
The Otonabee River Man - Update
Update: Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Dismembered Head found July 10, 1988
On July 10th, 1988, recreational divers located a human skull in the Otonabee River, near Lock and McKeller Street, approximately 130 feet from the shore. When the skull was found a postmortem examination was conducted, which revealed it belonged to a male and that he was the victim of homicide. Extensive air and underwater searches were conducted; however, the remainder of the body has never been recovered.
As a result of advanced DNA testing technology, the human remains have been identified as Gerald Durocher. Durocher was born in November 1949 and at the time of his death would have been 38 years old.
In October 2021, the Peterborough Police Service submitted evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service, in hopes that advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy could help generate new leads and assist with identifying the ‘Otonabee River Man’.
Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile, which was then used by Othram’s genealogy team, in conjunction with forensic genetic genealogy to identify potential relatives. The Peterborough Police Service then used this information to locate and interview these individuals. It was through this process, as well as subsequent confirmatory DNA testing by the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service that led to the positive identification of the victim.
This case has never been forgotten and over the last three decades various methods were used in an attempt to identify the remains.
The Peterborough Police Service is currently pursuing all avenues to continue to further this investigation. It is believed that Durocher had connections throughout the Province of Ontario, including Ottawa, as well as the Quesnel area in central British Columbia.
Investigators are encouraging anyone with information pertaining to Durocher, or his death to come forward, noting that sometimes even the small details can play a large part in solving a case.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Constable Lacey White at 705-876-1122 ext. 266, the Peterborough Police Service Crime Line at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.stopcrimehere.ca
Peterborough-Northumberland Crime Stoppers has generously offered a $5000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest in this case.
Cold Case Video YouTube: https://youtu.be/MamZAKNgKbY
Media Conference Video YouTube: https://youtu.be/TQik1zDemNA