22-Year-Old Disappeared on Bike in 1973. 50 Years Later His Remains Were Found in Canadian Park

A family has finally found some closure after Canadian authorities identified the remains of their loved one, thanks to new forensic technology.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced on Thursday, Sept. 4, that remains discovered in 1980 in Algonquin Park in Ontario belonged to Eric “Ricky” Singer. Singer was 22 years old when he disappeared in 1973.

“On September 19, 2023, I was contacted by an unidentified caller,” Ruth Singer, one of Eric’s sisters, said in the news release. “Feeling strongly guided to take the call, the caller introduced himself as a detective from the OPP. He said he had some difficult news for me and asked whether I had time to listen.”

She added, “Immediately, my tears began to fall and I knew that they had found him.”

According to the OPP, a hiker came across the remains under the forest floor in April 1980 after leaving a trail. Search teams later found a boot, wallet, clothing, a sleeping bag, and more remains.

At the time, experts said the victim was a young white male between 18 and 21 years old, and estimated his death occurred between July 1971 and spring 1978. No signs of foul play were found.

Despite public appeals, the mystery continued for years. In March 1995, a jawbone was found near the same trail. Authorities confirmed both sets of remains were from the same person, but they still couldn’t identify him.

In 2017, the OPP released a 3-D clay reconstruction of what the victim might have looked like. Five years later, investigators sent the DNA to the DNA Doe Project for analysis using investigative genetic genealogy, which combines family history research with DNA testing.

By 2023, a possible identification was made. Authorities contacted Singer’s sisters, Ruth and Merry, who provided DNA samples. On Feb. 14 of this year, the remains were officially confirmed as Eric Singer’s.

“October 3, 1973, was the last time I saw him,” Merry said. “Ricky had been exploring Canadian options after dropping out of college in 1970 and receiving his draft card for Vietnam. He was not drafted, but he spent time in Canada for several years. Then one day, he left on his bike with a backpack, and we never heard from him again.”

Authorities said Singer had returned to Cleveland in the summer of 1973 to live with his parents before disappearing that fall. His family filed a missing persons report and hired a private investigator but never found answers. His parents died before learning what happened to him.

Recently, Ruth and Merry visited Algonquin Park where their brother spent his last days. They also met with the investigators who helped identify him.

“Not only did our family find some peace in learning that our brother was found, but our wonderful new friends at the OPP were also able to close this case,” Merry said. “This dedicated team, while standing on the shoulders of so many who had worked on the case over the past 50 years, was able to meet, in person, the family to whom they’d given this miraculous gift. That’s a good day at the office.”