Police believe they found the remains of a second man, missing in Manning Park, on Saturday, July 23.
In a bizarre twist, the disappearance of David Robert Greatrix, 62, of Penticton, appears linked to Jordan Naterer.
Naterer, 25, was missing in the park in the same area for nine months, and his remains were discovered July 7, 2021.
According to Princeton RCMP, the remains believed to belong to Greatrix were discovered by Princeton Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) and RCMP, approximately 2 km from the Monument 78 trailhead, near Boyd Meadow. The man’s belongings were located nearby.
The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating. Foul play is not suspected at this time, said Princeton Sgt. Rob Hughes.
The search for Greatrix was complicated by large amounts of bear scat in the area, said Hughes, presenting a wildlife risk to GSAR and RCMP members.
Greatrix was last seen early June 30, 2021, in Penticton. On July 22, Manning Park staff reported his car in the resort parking lot to RCMP, after it had not been moved in considerable time.
Hughes said there was evidence to suggest Greatrix “may have been researching the Naterer missing.”
Related: Human remains found in Manning Park believed to belong to man missing since October 2020
Greatrix was a published author who wrote Fairwell to the Good Old Days, Why Various Canadian Institutions Royally Suck, and Powered Flight - The Engineering of Aerospace Propulsion.
Naterer went missing in October, 2020, prompting an extensive and well-publicized search by police, GSAR and family. The 25-year-old electrical engineer had taken a solo overnight hike on Frosty Mountain trail.
On July 4, 2021, a volunteer searcher located Naterer’s backpack and tent, approximately 500 m off the trail.
That led to GSAR and police discovering Naterer’s personal effects, approximately 3 km away at a creek bed, and his remains were discovered July 7.
In June, 2021, a 19-year-old Montreal man, a new employee at Manning Park, went missing overnight. He was rescued, unharmed except for some scrapes and bruises, by GSAR on June 12. He was removed from a mountain top by helicopter.
Manning Park manager Vern Schram said the recent tragedies are not reflections of the park’s safety.
“The park is safe. That’s why so many people come here. These are very isolated incidents,” he said in an interview with the Spotlight.
“There are a lot of resources out there for people to ensure they are made safe. BC Parks does a great job of signing the trails and working with us to provide maps for them.”
Approximately 1 million vehicles pass through the park each year and “hundreds of thousands of people” use the trails annually, he added.
“Our thoughts and feelings go out to the families involved.”
Another young man missing in Manning Park
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:andrea.demeer@similkameenspotlight.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.