Police have identified human remains discovered in the woods of Missouri last week as those of an amateur MMA fighter who went missing nearly two years ago, NBC affiliate KY3 reports.
The discovery happened when a man came across skeletal remains on Dec. 22 while looking for antlers in a wooded area in Branson, Missouri. The Branson Police Department announced in a news release on Monday that a forensic odonatologist was able to confirm the remains belong to David Koenig, who was last seen on Feb. 8, 2020.
“The examination of the remains conducted by a forensic pathologist determined that there was no trauma and that the death did not appear to be the result of foul play,” police said in a statement.
Per USA Today, Koenig’s mother, Tracy Koenig, reiterated the forensic pathologist’s claims in a post on social media.
“He was not shot, stabbed, no broken bones of any sort,” Tracy wrote. “He wasn’t robbed, as his tattered wallet was still in tact, as well as the two silver necklaces he always (wore) amongst some other things.”
After conducting several searches for Koenig since his disappearance, Branson Police Chief Jeff Matthews thanked the community for its efforts in helping track down the remains of the late MMA fighter.
“Our department and the amazing group of volunteers never stopped in our efforts to find Mr. Koenig,” Matthews said in a statement. “While this is not the ending we hoped for, we offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Koenig.”
The exact cause of Koenig’s death has not yet been determined.
