Bones found near Kamloops hiking trail identified as missing Kelowna man, police say

An RCMP vehicle is seen in this undated image. (Shutterstock)

Mounties in Kamloops say the bones discovered along a hiking trail near the Trans Canada Highway last week have been identified as belonging to a Kelowna man who went missing in November.

The remains found near Peterson Creek Nature Path on Jan. 19 belonged to 42-year-old Joseph Driscoll, who was last seen walking in the Valleyview area of Kamloops in the early hours of Nov. 12, according to a news release from Kamloops RCMP.

"In working with the BC Coroners Service and with the Driscoll family, police can now confirm the bones did in fact belong to Joseph, and that he is deceased,” said Cpl. Crystal Evelyn in the release.

"We do not suspect criminality in his disappearance at this time. Our thoughts go out to the Driscoll family."

Police did not elaborate on the suspected cause of Driscoll's death, but they did provide detailed information on the location where the bones were found.

According to police, the remains were found "east of Peterson Creek, west of Rose Hill, above the 700-block of the East Trans Canada Highway."

Both Mounties and the coroners service are still investigating "to determine the circumstances surrounding the discovery" of the bones, police said.

Anyone with information relevant to the investigation or who came across other bones in the area is asked to contact Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 and reference file number 2023-2261.