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On Tuesday, September 5, 2023, Connecticut authorities confirmed that they had identified the remains of Brian Cornwell, a 57-year-old Greenfield man who was reported missing in December 2020. Cornwell's remains were reportedly discovered on August 23, 2023, when children noticed his bones while exploring an island for their summer program.
Trigger warning: This article concerns a possible homicide investigation, the reader's discretion is advised
After identifying Brian Cornwell's remains, the Greenfield Police confirmed that they are currently attempting to investigate the circumstances behind the victim's death. According to CBS, the cause of death is yet unknown.
Brian Cornwell's skeletal remains were discovered on a Connecticut River island
According to the Recorder, Brian Cornwell was a resident of Greenfield's Federal Street. The 57-year-old was reportedly last seen in early December 2020. After he failed to respond to their calls and messages for weeks, his family members ultimately reported him missing.
After a fruitless search, Greenfield authorities requested the help of the public in February 2021. However, they did not report any leads until the 2023 discovery of the victim's remains on a Connecticut River island. In the statement announcing Cornwell's disappearance, officials described him as approximately 6 feet tall and weighing 170 pounds. Prior to his disappearance, he was frequently seen riding his bicycle on Federal Street.
On August 23, 2023, after a group of children on a summer program came across the bones near Greenfield's Rawson Island, authorities were alerted about the discovery. Kurt Heidinger, the founder of the environmental philosophy organization Biocitizen Inc., said that he was leading the program when a 7-year-old boy reportedly came across bones. Heidinger initially told The Recorder that he thought they belonged to an animal. He said that in the initial stages, the unaware children were excited to further study the bones.
After the discovery of the initial bones, Heidinger took the children for a lunch break. However, when they returned to the site, one of the children discovered a skull. Realizing the remains were those of a human, Heidinger promptly called the police, who cordoned off Rawson Island as they collected the remains.
On Tuesday, after examining the bones, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the identity as that of Brian Cornwell. Upon investigating the scene, officials also reportedly discovered the driver's license of a different individual. However, officials did not confirm whether this unidentified person was a suspect in the death of the 57-year-old.
As per the Boston Globe, the case is currently being investigated by the State Police Crime Scene Services, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit, the Montague Police Department, and the Greenfield Police Department. Officials have not yet confirmed whether foul play is suspected in Cornwell's death.
The Daily Voice reported that if anyone has information regarding the case, they should contact the Northwestern District Attorney's Greenfield Office.
