Human remains still unidentified in Smiths Falls

Yellow police tape stretched cordoned off a wooded area Tuesday just off William St. W. in Smiths Falls. Smiths Falls police, OPP and a forensic anthropologist team from Toronto were on scene.

Detective Constable Tyler Brett of the Smiths Falls Police Service confirmed they were “human remains” and the search team, including the OPP Emergency Response Team, was “processing” the area. The search began Monday afternoon continuing well into Tuesday evening.

Six officers from ERT, trained in searching areas, were present, as well as a team from the Coroner’s office.

Constable Aaron Tompkins, Community Service Officer with Smiths Falls Police, said the body will be transported to Toronto for examination.

He confirmed that a “cyclist passing by the wooded area found what she thought were human remains” Monday afternoon; the forensic anthropologist confirmed the remains were human. 

As of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police, the OPP ERT team with their drones, and forensics, were still on scene.

Tompkins suspects the remains could be related to the missing person from July but “is not 100 per cent sure.” The body has not yet been identified. 

Thirty-eight-year-old Greg Moryas was reported missing by his girlfriend on July 13. Moryas is described as a white male about 6’3”, very thin, with reddish hair and a scruffy beard. He was last seen wearing a green button-up, long-sleeved shirt with a black T-shirt, black jeans and tan shoes.

Tompkins says it’s too early to tell if foul play is suspected.

Sergeant Jody Empey, on scene with Constable Tompkins, says once the scene has been fully processed, “it becomes open to the public.” She explained the scene gets held until “we decide there is nothing further to process.”

If, she adds, someone later finds more bones, immediately call the police.

Article by Sally Smith