Toronto police have identified a man whose remains were found more than 17 years ago.
Police were called to the area of Bloor Street East and Parliament Street on March 29, 2008, where a man was found dead just after noon.
A coroner’s investigation determined the death was not suspicious, and investigators were unable to identify him.
In 2023, the case was selected for review using investigative genetic genealogy (IGG). Early results showed the man had European ancestry, and a bulletin was shared with online communities connected to a specific region in Europe.
Two tips were provided to police, one from Ontario and one from overseas.
Police were told the unknown man could be a man named Alcides.
Investigators located a relative living overseas and a DNA sample was obtained and sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences for comparison.
On November 7, 2025, DNA testing confirmed that the remains belonged to Alcides. His family, who had never filed a missing-person report but had long wondered about his whereabouts, has been notified.
