Eric Singer, known as Ricky, was 22 years old when he disappeared from Cleveland, Ohio, in 1973. His remains were discovered in 1980 near Hardwood Lake Trail in Algonquin Park, but it took decades for authorities to identify him. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced that they used DNA technology to confirm his identity, tracing his family members through investigative genetic genealogy.

The remains were found in April 1980, along with camping gear and clothing, in an area northeast of Haliburton. Initially, police estimated the body belonged to a white male in his early twenties and did not suspect foul play. Despite extensive efforts, including public appeals and reviewing missing persons reports, they could not identify the remains for many years.

In 1995, a jawbone was discovered near the original site, and in 2017, police released a forensic facial reconstruction. However, it was not until 2019 that the OPP began utilizing investigative genetic genealogy, a method that matches DNA from unidentified bodies to public DNA databases to construct family trees.

In 2022, the OPP collaborated with the DNA Doe Project, a non-profit organization, which ultimately led to the confirmation of Singer's identity in February 2023. Merry Lugasy, Singer's younger sister, expressed her emotions in an OPP news release, stating, "I'm honoured, I'm humbled, I'm grateful. He was identified and we were able to put him to rest, and put ourselves to rest."

Ruth, another sister, recounted the moment she received the news. "On Sept. 19, 2023, I was contacted by an unidentified caller. He said he had some difficult news for me and asked whether I had time to listen. Immediately, my tears began to fall and I knew that they had found him."

Singer had spoken about traveling to Canada after receiving his draft card during the Vietnam War, although he was never drafted. He left home with a backpack and was never seen again. His sisters described him as a carefree, guitar-playing child of the 1960s.

Earlier this summer, Singer's sisters visited the location where his remains were found. Lead investigator Det. Sgt. Philip Holmes remarked on the surreal nature of the case, stating, "Eric Singer's remains were found before I was even born. The fact that I'm involved in supporting his family in understanding what happened to him feels a little surreal."

Acting senior Det. Insp. Sean Chatland noted the significance of the case, saying, "After years of uncertainty, a family now has the answers they've been longing for. Innovative tools such as investigative genetic genealogy are rewriting the possibilities for investigation."