50-Year Cold Case Closed: The Discovery of Eric “Ricky” Singer’s Remains in Algonquin Park

Back in 1973, a young guy named Eric “Ricky” Singer, just 22 years old from Cleveland, vanished while out biking around Canada. It was one of those mysteries that hung over his family for decades—no clues, no closure. Fast forward 50 years, and his remains finally turned up in a remote spot in Ontario’s Algonquin Park, thanks to some modern forensic wizardry.

Here’s how it all unfolded: Eric had dropped out of college a few years earlier, in 1970, right around the time he got his draft card for Vietnam. He headed north to explore Canada, came back home that summer, but then disappeared again in the fall. His folks reported him missing and even brought in a private investigator, but nothing panned out. Sadly, his parents passed away without ever knowing what happened to him.

Then, in 1980, a hiker stumbled across some human bones in the park, along with stuff like a boot, a leather wallet, bits of clothing, and a sleeping bag. Cops looked into it, but back then, they couldn’t ID the person, and there weren’t any obvious signs of foul play. Fast forward to 1995, when someone found a jawbone nearby—it matched the earlier remains, but still no name.

Things started heating up in 2017 when the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) posted a 3D clay model of what the guy’s face might have looked like on social media, hoping for tips. By 2022, they sent DNA samples to the DNA Doe Project, those experts in genetic genealogy. A year later, they had a strong lead, and Eric’s sisters, Ruth and Merry, stepped up to give their own DNA. Boom—on February 14 of this year, it was official: those bones were Eric’s.

Ruth and Merry recently made the trip to the park site and met with the OPP folks who cracked the case. They talked about how bittersweet it was—heartbreaking to confirm he was gone, but a huge relief to finally have answers. “It’s like closing a chapter that’s been open way too long,” Ruth said in an interview. They both mentioned finding some peace and gave major props to the police for never giving up.

Stories like this remind you how tech has changed everything in cold cases. If you’ve got any thoughts or similar tales, feel free to share—respectfully, of course. And if you’re into these kinds of updates, signing up for a newsletter might keep you in the loop.