Human Remains Found in Okla. Park Identified as Man Missing for Nearly 1 Year: 'Profound Sadness'

Timothy Vanmatre, 57, was last seen on March 18, 2023, said authorities

Authorities announced that human remains found Monday in a remote area of a Tulsa, Oklahoma, park belonged to a man who had been missing for almost a year.

The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) reported Thursday that the remains of Timothy Vanmatre, 57, of Owasso, were positively identified by the medical examiner’s office.

Authorities said they were notified after a man looking for deer antlers discovered the remains in Mohawk Park. Detectives from the TCSO were called in because the remains were found a mile from where Vanmatre’s car was discovered in March 2023.

“57-year-old Timothy Vanmatre was last seen on security footage, leaving his home on March 18, 2023,” the TCSO’s statement said. “TCSO conducted multiple searches in the area where his Subaru was recovered, but there were no signs of the missing man until his remains were located on Monday.”

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“There is no sign that foul play was involved in his death,” the TCSO concluded.

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As reported by CBS affiliate KOTV, Vanmatre’s family posted a Facebook statement following the news of the death.

“It’s with great sadness that we confirm that the body found at Mohawk park on Monday, was indeed our father, Timothy VanMatre,” wrote Olivia Nicole Richards. “It appears that our dad took his own life on  March 18, 2023 and almost a year later his remains were discovered approximately a mile and a half from where his car was found.

“The police have informed us that this was a difficult area to get to which is why we were not able to find him,” Richards continued. “We want to express gratitude to those who helped us search, offered condolences, and supported us over the last year. We are experiencing both relief and profound sadness as we deal with this news.”

Matthew Lewis, who discovered the remains at the park while searching for deer antlers, told KOTV that he spotted something white 50 yards away and put on his binoculars. He then went over to the scene and realized what he saw was a human skull before notifying the police.

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"I've seen a lot of different bones out there in shed hunting. I mean, you see a lot of different stuff, and this looked to be human,” he said, via the news outlet.

In an interview with NBC affiliate KJRH last November, Vanmatre’s daughter, Emily Smith, said that she hoped the beginning of the deer gun hunting season would lead to clues about her father’s disappearance.

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“Even if it’s not my dad’s body that we’re finding, it could be a sign of what direction that he went or give us some kind of idea on what led to this happening and where he could be at this point,” Smith said at the time.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

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