Cold case detectives seek identity of man’s body found at St Albans who may have died 60 years ago

Hawkesbury Police Area Command are appealing for information from the public as investigations continue into unidentified human remains that were found 44 years ago in St Albans on the banks of the McDonald River.

When the body was first found in August 1976 near Wrights Creek Rd, officers investigating at the time believed the remains were of an aborigine man, so the body was sent to the Australian Museum in Sydney, following a fruitless investigation into the man’s identity.

The remains were initially identified as a male aged between 25-45, and about 5’7 to 6ft tall, and were found on the eastern embankment of the McDonald River, near Wrights Creek Road.

A woollen cardigan and a pair of men’s shorts were found with the remains.

But in 2009 further examination revealed that the remains were more of European or mixed ancestry.

So, the remains were taken out of the Australian Museum and sent to Waikato University in New Zealand for advanced carbon dating which revealed it likely the man died between 1960 to 1976, so possibly as long as 60 years ago.

Ongoing investigations have focused on local missing persons records, along with DNA and forensic examinations but they still have not been able to establish an identity, or even a cause of death.

Detective Acting Inspector Mathew Wilson at Hawkesbury police said they are seeking information from the public in an attempt to identify the remains.

Any information please contact Hawkesbury Police Area Command or Crime stoppers 1800 333 000.

Maybe someone out there has some answers…