After a nine-year investigation, Whitehorse RCMP have closed a missing persons case and brought closure to a Port Coquitlam family, whose relative had died in rugged terrain near an area popular with mountain bikers.
Last week, the RCMP revealed that the identity of a man who went missing in Whitehorse, Yukon in 2007 was Terry Fai Vong of PoCo, however police are not confirming how he died except to say that Vong’s death was not suspicious.
“No further details will be provided regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr. Vong's death. Those details are part of the investigation and will not be released,” a media spokesperson for the Whitehorse RCMP detachment stated in email to the Tri-City News.
The case took years to solve despite the fact that Vong’s remains were found on two separate occasions, in Oct. 23, 2009, when a skull was found by a mountain biker, and again in September, 2016, when more remains and personal items, including a small backpack and a walking stick, were found by two mountain bikers who were carrying their bikes up a steep incline in a very rugged area.
After the first finding, a ground search was conducted both on foot and Via ATV and an extensive grid search was done by police service dog Ryder and his handler. A further search was conducted in September, 2016 and in May, 2017. However, no identification was found in each of these searches.
It was the finding of more personal belongings, including a severely deteriorated personal assistant device that led to the solving of the case.
Police were able to determine that the digital device had been purchased on line by a Port Coquitlam, B.C. man in 2006 and follow up DNA tests determined that human remains that were that of Terry Fai Fong.
A press release issued Sept. 14, noted that it was the cooperation of several agencies, including the Yukon Coroner's Service, Yukon RCMP Major Crimes Unit, Forensic Identification Section, Police Dog Service, Yukon Search and Rescue, Whitehorse RCMP General Investigation Section, Whitehorse RCMP and Coquitlam RCMP that solved the case.
“By working together over the past nine years that we were able to provide long-awaited answers to the family and friends of Mr. Vong,” the press release stated.
