Current:Home > MarketsRemains found in remote Colorado mountains 33 years ago identified as man from Indiana-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Remains found in remote Colorado mountains 33 years ago identified as man from Indiana
View Date:2024-12-25 10:56:14
Human remains discovered 33 years ago in a remote mountain pass in Colorado have been identified thanks to modern forensic tests, authorities said.
Those remains belonged to Steven Kenneth Risku, who was in his mid-30s and lived in Indiana at the time of his death, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced in a news release. The remains were initially found on Wolf Creek Pass in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado in 1991.
The Colorado investigative bureau partnered with the Mineral County Sheriff's Office, whose jurisdiction includes Wolf Creek Pass, to work the cold case. They eventually were able to identify Risku's remains using genetic genealogy and dental records along with "other investigative tools," according to the bureau.
Whether foul play contributed to Risku's death was still unclear. Wolf Creek Pass is a notorious roadway known for dangerous and sometimes deadly vehicle crashes, at least in more recent years, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Citing Risku's family, authorities said he did occasionally travel west to California from Indiana during his life. How and why he ended up in the Colorado mountains was not known, authorities said, although the family previously told investigators that Risku was an adventurous person who loved being outdoors.
"The identification of Mr. Risku is a tremendous first step in helping provide his family with answers," said Mineral County Sheriff Terry Wetherill in a statement. "If anyone has information as to why or how Steven Risku was at a remote location on Wolf Creek Pass or if anyone has any additional questions, please contact the Mineral County Sheriff's Office."
People with knowledge of what may have happened to Risku should call the sheriff's office at 719-658-2600.
- In:
- Colorado
- Cold Case
- Indiana
Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.
Twitter InstagramveryGood! (41561)
Related
- Dramatic video shows Phoenix police rescue, pull man from car submerged in pool: Watch
- Tanzania signs a controversial port management deal with Dubai-based company despite protests
- Top Chinese diplomat to visit Washington ahead of possible meeting between Biden and Xi
- Mother files wrongful death lawsuit against now-closed Christian boarding school in Missouri
- It's about to be Red Cup Day at Starbucks. When is it and how to get the free coffee swag?
- Kosovo’s premier claims a Serbian criminal gang with government links was behind a September flareup
- Cuomo could have run again for New York governor, but declined for family reasons: former top aide.
- Nashville police chief has spent a career mentoring youths but couldn’t keep his son from trouble
- DWTS’ Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten Have the Best Reaction to Fans Hoping for a Romance
- Australians’ rejection of the Indigenous Voice in constitutional vote is shameful, supporters say
Ranking
- Louisiana House greenlights Gov. Jeff Landry’s tax cuts
- Russia seeks to undermine election integrity worldwide, U.S. assessment says
- Outcome of key local races in Pennsylvania could offer lessons for 2024 election
- Coast Guard rescues 4 Canadians from capsized catamaran off North Carolina
- Here's Your First Look at The White Lotus Season 3 With Blackpink’s Lisa and More Stars
- Autopsies confirm 5 died of chemical exposure in tanker crash
- How long before a phone is outdated? Here's how to find your smartphone's expiration date
- Orbán blasts the European Union on the anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising
Recommendation
-
Eva Longoria Shares She and Her Family Have Moved Out of the United States
-
Drivers of Jeep, Kia plug-in hybrids take charging seriously. Here's why that matters.
-
Warrant says Minnesota investigators found meth in house after gunbattle that wounded 5 officers
-
A Texas-sized Game 7! Astros, Rangers clash one final time in ALCS finale
-
Why was Jalen Ramsey traded? Dolphins CB facing former team on 'Monday Night Football'
-
Investigators use psychology to help extract confessions from a suspected serial killer
-
Rob McElhenney Enlists Chris Pratt to Deliver Parks and Wrex Birthday Present for BFF Ryan Reynolds
-
Gwyneth Paltrow has new line of Goop products, prepares for day 'no one will ever see me again'