The Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced on Tuesday, February 6, that human remains found in a remote area of southeastern Orange County in 1998 have finally been identified. The remains belong to a 54-year-old man from Bellflower, as confirmed by the California Department of Justice.

The discovery of the human remains dates back to August 29, 1998, when a research biologist stumbled upon them at the Rancho Mission Viejo nature reserve. Initially, investigators had speculated that the deceased individual could have been a white or Latino man in his 40s. However, no evidence suggesting foul play was found at the time.

A month later, during a subsequent search of the area, authorities uncovered a shallow grave along with additional human remains and clothing. Despite extensive efforts, the victim’s identity remained a mystery for over two decades.

The breakthrough in this cold case came in early January 2023 when forensic samples from the John Doe victim were submitted to Othram Laboratories, a renowned private forensic biotechnology company based in Texas. Utilizing advanced DNA profiling techniques, investigators were able to create a genetic profile of the victim and began genealogical research to identify him.

After months of investigation, the victim was tentatively identified as Donald Raymond Loar, a 54-year-old man reported missing from Bellflower in February 1998. Notably, the clothing found near the remains of John Doe closely matched the attire worn by Loar, further solidifying the identification.

Subsequently, investigators met with Loar’s family and obtained a DNA sample from them to compare with the victim’s genetic profile. On January 24, the California Department of Justice officially confirmed that the remains did indeed belong to Donald Raymond Loar. However, the circumstances surrounding his death are still under investigation.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is urging anyone with information related to this case to come forward and contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or visit their website at crimestoppers.org.