Madison Meeks – Opinion Editor

mvm7037@psu.edu

PENNSYLVANIA – in 1986, a human skull was found on the banks of the Delaware River. After 37 years, the human skull was identified by detectives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, officials said. 

Last seen at his parents house on Christmas Eve 1984, Richard Thomas Alt was recently identified as the match to the skull found on the banks of the Delaware River in 1986. He was reported missing to the police by his family in 1985. Alt’s girlfriend who had also gone missing in 1984 was found in April 1985 on the New Jersey side of the Delaware river.

Officials have stated that it is believed that Alt and his girlfriend were victims of homicide. In June 1986, a fisherman had found Alt’s skull near the Morrisvile Boat Ramp. After being unidentified for decades, Bucks County Detectives sent the skull for DNA testing at a private lab in Texas in September 2022.

 Scientists had matched the skull’s DNA to someone on a public genealogy site. The DNA matched Alt’s daughter who was only 11 years old when her father had disappeared. Genealogy has been used to solve hundreds of cold cases in the last few years. 

In a statement, Bucks County District Attorney, Matt Weintraub said “I’m glad that we could give them some peace of mind with this identification, and the eventual return of his remains to his family.” 

According to CBSNews, The District Attorney’s office also stated Bucks County authorities are considering further investigating Alt’s death along with his disappearance due to the lack of evidence in the case.

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