DNA tests may help match up N.W.T.'s unidentified remains with missing persons

N.W.T.'s chief coroner says DNA results from all four cases of unidentified human remains in the territory will be ready to be included in a new national missing persons DNA program as soon as it's up and runningnext year.

In all thecases, the bone fragments weresent to a lab in Ontario for DNA testing.

"I'm very hopeful about this database," said Cathy Menard.

"I think it will provide a lot of answers for people. I think a lot of people have had missing loved ones for a long time and I really hope with this database that it does bring closure to a lot of families."

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She said the earliest of the cases is of remains found in1986, and the latest is fromDecember2014.

Menard saidshe cannot say where the bone fragments were found because the cases are under investigation.

A new national missing person DNA data bank is slated to be operational by next spring. The DNA data bank is part of a larger national missing persons program which will combine resources with the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.

"DNA from the missing person's family would be loaded into this database. And then any unidentified remains would also be put in there, and it's with the hopes that there would be a match," says Menard.

However, the chief coroner says it's possible some of the unidentified bones found in N.W.T. may be historical in nature, such asremains from aoldburial site.

Those DNA results will still be shared on the national DNA database in case someone may be searching for a loved one.

RCMP in N.W.T. have64 open missing person investigations with a total of 71 missing persons:59 males and 12 females.