A college student disappeared without a trace over 50 years ago. His remains were just found.
Remains found in Salt Lake City belong to a University of Utah student who disappeared without a trace more than 50 years ago, police officials say.
Douglas Brick, a former student at the University of Utah, disappeared on Oct. 12, 1973, according to information from police and the school in Salt Lake City. Brick was reportedly last seen leaving his dorm.
Major Heather Sturzenegger with the University of Utah Police told USA TODAY that Brick − a Pocatello, Idaho native − was a 23-year-old senior when he went missing.
The case went cold for years but in 2022, according to a university news release, crime data analyst, Nikol Mitchell reopened the cold case while working in Utah’s Statewide Information and Analysis Center.
And in 2024, hunters found unidentified remains including a skull fragments in foothills near the school, and reported it to police. On April 30, results from an out-of-state lab confirmed the fragment found matched one of Douglas Brick’s living relatives, Sturzenegger told USA TODAY.
“It seemed impossible that he could ever be found,” the university wrote in an announcement of the discovery. “After 51 years, six months and 19 days, University of Utah Police finally has some answers to its only known cold case.”
The major said police notified Brick’s family about the results on May 3.
“We never stopped hoping for answers about Doug’s disappearance,” Brick’s family said in a statement, according to the university. “Many years ago, we pushed for the cold case to be reopened with the addition of DNA evidence. We are relieved to finally have some answers. After 52 years, this result, while sad, is nothing short of a miracle.”
University of Utah student’s brother: ‘He just took off’
The victim’s brother, David Brick, told ABC4 that Douglas had traveled to Utah from his hometown of Pocatello, Idaho. David Brick was in Europe when he learned his brother had vanished.
“We really don’t know why he just took off and disappeared,” he told the outlet in 2022.
Sturzenegger said the motive in Brick’s disappearance remained under investigation.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call police at 801-585-2677.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A Utah student disappeared 53 years ago. His remains were just found.
