Wood County Authorities Identify Human Remains Found in the Village of Port Edwards

Friday, October 6th, 2023 -- 4:01 PM

On Tuesday, July 19, 2022 through Friday, July 22, 2023 the Wood County Sheriff's Department along with assisting agencies recovered numerous skeletal remains from the Wisconsin River near the dam in the Village of Port Edwards, Wood County, Wisconsin.

Investigators from the Wood County Sheriff's Department along with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Criminal Investigations have been tirelessly searching for the identity of the individual that was located.

Remains were examined by Othram Labs in The Woodlands, TX, and BODE Technology in Lorton, VA, who provided DNA samples to the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory. On October 2, 2023 the Wisconsin Department of Justice- Division of Forensic Science provided a report to the Wood County Sheriff's Department of a DNA match.

The Wood County Sheriff's Department met with family and confirmed that this individual has not been seen in several years. The DNA match is connected to Paul I. Christian (today's age would had been 49 years old) who was known to  be from the Waupaca, WI area.

At this time it is unknown why Paul would have been in Wood County, Wisconsin. Please note that this is a very active investigation and only limited information is being released at this time.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.