MONTGOMERY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Authorities have confirmed that a body recovered from the Kanawha River in January has been identified as Mark A. Coles, a 68-year-old man from Rand, who had been missing since October 2022.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office reported that Mr. Coles was last seen on October 30, 2022, boarding a KRT bus in Rand and later getting off in Hughes Creek.
He was spotted near the Montgomery Bridge in the Smithers area shortly before his disappearance.
A Silver Alert had been issued for Mr. Coles, as he was known to travel by foot or public transportation and required regular medications due to medical conditions.
His family reported him missing on November 3, 2022, after not hearing from him since October 28.
Three months after his disappearance, a body was found in the Kanawha River, but due to the condition of the remains, identification required DNA testing.
Marshall University’s Forensic Science Center conducted a familial DNA test, and the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed this week that the remains were Mr. Coles.
“Our hearts go out to the Coles family,” said the Sheriff’s Office in a statement. “This is never the outcome we hope for in a missing person’s case.”
