A body found in Vancouver in 1975 had remained unidentified for decades — until now.
The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed the identity of the man found dead 38 years ago as being Alexander Francis Gammie, a 22-year-old Kamloops man who was reported missing in May 1975, when Pierre Elliott Trudeau was prime minister, Gerald Ford was U.S. president and the end of the Vietnam War was only weeks old.
Gammie’s body was found in Vancouver and taken to St. Paul’s Hospital for forensic examination; however, the identity remained a mystery despite extensive efforts by police and coroners.
Although Gammie lived in Kamloops, he travelled extensively. He also had raised homing pigeons for years before his disappearance on May 15, 1975.
The identification was made possible this month by modern forensic analysis, in combination with the application of an enhanced identification model developed by the identification and disaster response unit of the B.C. Coroners Service.
Aiding in uncovering the identity were the Vancouver Police and Kamloops RCMP missing persons units.
The family Gammie has been notified.
