Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have finally identified the man whose remains were discovered on the Lake Huron shoreline in 2016, thanks to the use of investigative genetic genealogy (IGG).
The remains were found on October 15, 2016, along the shoreline north of Port Albert in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh. The adult male, who was wearing a life jacket at the time of discovery, prompted an investigation by the Huron County OPP under the direction of the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). Despite the extensive investigation that followed, the cause of death remained undetermined, though authorities did not suspect foul play.
Early leads in the investigation pointed to a possible connection to a man who had been interviewed by the news outlet SooToday on September 15, 2016, under the name Mitchell Nelson. Investigators believed that this individual could be the same man whose remains were discovered a month later. However, the identity of the deceased remained elusive for years.
In January 2023, the OPP submitted DNA samples from the remains for investigative genetic genealogy analysis, a technique that has increasingly helped solve cold cases by tracing genetic matches to family members. The Toronto Police Service (TPS) assisted with genealogy support, and by July 15, 2024, DNA testing confirmed the identity of the deceased as Garnet Michael Nelson, a 56-year-old from Alberta. It was confirmed that Garnet Nelson was the man interviewed under an assumed name in 2016.
The investigation was supported by several agencies, including the Huron County OPP Crime Unit, OPP Forensic Identification Services, Victim Services, TPS, the Office of the Chief Coroner (OCC), and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OFPS).
Investigators expressed gratitude for the role of IGG in resolving the case, acknowledging that it was only through this advanced tool that they could bring closure to Garnet Nelson's family after years of uncertainty. They also thanked the public and the media for the tips and interest that helped keep the case alive over the years.