Human Remains Found in Colorado in 1991 Identified as Indiana Man

The remains were identified as those of Steven Kenneth Risku, who went missing in 1987

Human remains found in a Colorado mountain pass 33 years ago have been identified.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation Cold Case team and the Mineral County Sheriff's Office used Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) to identify the remains as those of Steven Kenneth Risku.

Their discovery was confirmed with "dental records and other investigative tools," according to a press release from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Risku's remains were initially found in 1991 on Wolf Creek Pass in Mineral County after he went missing in 1987, according to KMGH-TV.

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The Indiana native was born on Aug. 16, 1957. Although his last known address was in Indianapolis, his family told the law enforcement agency that he visited California "on occasion" and was known to be adventurous with a love for the outdoors.

Investigators have not discovered the reason for Risku's trip to Colorado, and it remains unknown if any foul play was involved in his death.

"The identification of Mr. Risku is a tremendous first step in helping provide his family with answers. 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," Mineral County Sheriff Terry Wetherill said in a statement on the release.

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Heather Hall, Risku's niece, told KMGH-TV that he disappeared a year before she was born.

"My family had a lot of hope that they would hear from him. We just had expectations that he was still out there," she told the outlet. The revelation, however, has given her family a chance to "put him to rest."

"This wasn't the outcome that we wanted, but at the same time, we're able to get my uncle back home where he belongs and put him to rest," she said.

Hall told the news station that they first learned of the discovery in January.

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"It was obviously a huge shock that he had been dead this whole time, and our family had held out hope for so long that he was alive. It's like grieving a little bit all over again," she said.

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