Human remains found in 2021 identified as missing Salina man

Human remains discovered in Saline County in 2021 have been identified through DNA as a man who was reported missing in 2019 in Salina.
In a news release, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said the remains — which included a human skull and another small bone, and were discovered in a wooded creek in an agricultural area in the southwest part of Salina on April 20 — 2021, belong to Kenneth Frances Reitcheck.
Human remains discovered in 2021 in Saline County have been identified as Kenneth Reitcheck, a man reported missing in 2019 to the Salina Police Department.
“At the time an extensive search of the area was conducted by law enforcement, including the use of K9s, however no further evidence was found to aid in the identification of the skull,” Soldan said.
After initial laboratory results were unable to determine a match, the remains were also examined by the Wichita State University Anthropology Department, which was able to provide some details on an estimated height and age of the person.
According to Soldan, this summer investigators from the sheriff’s office reached out to Othram Lab for possible assistance with advanced DNA testing and were notified of a positive identification on Dec. 2.
“DNA confirmed the remains are of Kenneth Frances Reitcheck who was reported missing to the Salina Police Department in November of 2019,” Soldan said. “Reitcheck was 69 (years-old) at the time of his disappearance.”
As of now, a cause of death has not been determined.
This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina man reported missing in 2019 identified in human remains case