DNA testing identifies remains of B.C. teen missing since 2007

Mounties confirm the remains of Mission teen Jeffrey Surtel, who disappeared 18 years ago, have been found.

Human remains found on a Washington state beach almost 17 years ago belonged to a teenager from British Columbia, police confirmed Tuesday, though the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death remain unknown.

Jeffrey Surtel was reported missing from his family home in Mission on April 29, 2007, when his parents say he took off on his bike while they were asleep, the local RCMP said in a statement Tuesday.

The disappearance was out of character for the teen, and the Mission RCMP launched an investigation, gathering tips about possible sightings of the boy from across the province, police said.

The case went cold until August 2008, when human remains were found on a beach near Port Angeles, Wash., more than 130 kilometres from the missing teen’s last known location.

Authorities at the local Clallam County Sheriff’s Office in Washington investigated the discovery and compared DNA from the remains with samples from multiple U.S. databases, though no matches were found, the statement said.

Fifteen years later, the sheriff’s office resorted to a crowdfunding campaign to raise donations to send the DNA for further testing at a private laboratory in Texas.

The Othram laboratory used forensic genealogy to link the remains to a member of Surtel’s extended family, according to police. The missing teen’s family was notified of the match last week, after the B.C. Coroners Service and the RCMP confirmed the remains were Surtel, police said.

Othram says the case underscores how forensic genealogy is advancing to remove barriers between investigators across international borders.

“As more agencies leverage this technology, the ability to solve cases is not only improving but accelerating, as each new agency that joins the effort strengthens the collective capability of forensic investigators worldwide,” said Michael Vogen, a case management director with Othram, in a statement on the company’s website.

“Our hearts go out to Jeffrey’s family and friends, as they learn of this news,” Mission RCMP Insp. Ted Lewko said in a statement.

“We hope that this update helps to bring them some closure to what has surely been an unimaginable 18 years of wondering what happened.”

Lewko expressed his gratitude to the Texas lab and the Washington state sheriff’s office for pursuing the case. “Your efforts have made a real difference to those who knew and loved Jeffrey,” he said.

In a statement through the RCMP, Surtel’s parents thanked everyone who supported the family and helped to search for their missing son, including his high school classmates and teachers.

“Investigators on both sides of the border confirm that there is no indication of criminality, although the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death of Jeffrey remain unknown,” the RCMP said.