The BC Coroners’ Service has identified the remains of a man who was found in November 2004 and have closed a cold case as a result.
A hiker discovered skeletal human remains in the mountains near North Vancouver in November 2004. The bones underwent comprehensive forensic analysis but remained unidentified for years despite efforts by RCMP and coroners. But now they have been identified as 20 year old Dante Ponzanetti who went missing in June of 2003.
The identification was made possible by modern forensic analysis in combination with the application of an enhanced identification model developed by a local Identification and Disaster Response Unit. While the remains have been identified the circumstances surrounding Ponzanetti’s death are still unclear and will remain under investigation.
Ponzanetti was in Vancouver on a visit from Thunder Bay, Ontario at the time of his disappearance. He was a self-proclaimed gambler and card counter and never returned to his grandmother’s home after leaving to go gamble.
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
