In a surprising breakthrough, authorities have finally identified a body found on the shores of Lake Ontario in 1992 as that of Vincent C. Stack, a Buffalo man who went missing in 1990. The remains were found badly decomposed and mostly skeletal, and initial attempts to identify them back in 1992 yielded no leads.

According to the Oswego County Sheriff's Office, the body, estimated to be between six months and five years old at the time of discovery, was subjected to renewed efforts for identification in 2022. A DNA profile obtained from the remains was uploaded to the national database CODIS in 2008, but it failed to generate any leads.

The breakthrough came in February 2024 when a new DNA sample was obtained and found to be a familial match with DNA collected from Stack's family members. Vincent C. Stack was 40 years old at the time of his disappearance, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

It is believed that Stack went over Niagara Falls, with his remains subsequently traveling approximately 15 miles to the mouth of a river before drifting over 130 miles across Lake Ontario and washing up on the shores of Oswego. The Niagara Regional Police Service in Ontario played a crucial role in comparing the remains and their DNA profile to unsolved cases in the area.

The sheriff's office has notified Stack's family of the identification, offering some closure to a decades-long mystery. The case also highlights the ongoing and diligent efforts by law enforcement agencies to solve unidentified remains cases and bring answers to grieving families.

The Oswego County Sheriff's Office stated that a similar unidentified remains case from 1983 is currently under investigation, underscoring the importance of continued efforts to solve such cases and offer closure to affected communities.

As authorities work tirelessly to uncover more details surrounding the circumstances of Vincent C. Stack's disappearance and subsequent journey, this breakthrough in identification serves as a reminder that persistence and advancements in forensic technology can ultimately bring answers to long-standing mysteries.