Oct 20, 2020

Sheriff: Body found near Kan. River was man missing 2 years

Posted Oct 20, 2020 4:00 PM
McGovern was last seen in June of 2018 -photo courtesy KAKE
McGovern was last seen in June of 2018 -photo courtesy KAKE

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A body found this spring in Shawnee County was that of a man who was last seen in Topeka in 2018, police said.

The body was identified as Gregory McGovern, who was last seen in June 2018, KAKE-TV reported Tuesday. Friends said he lived in the Topeka area but would also spend several months in the Jacksonville, Florida, area.

The body was found in April along the Kansas River in Shawnee County. A backpack that belonged to McGovern also was found.

Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran said forensic scientists were able to match DNA from his family with the bones this month.

Nothing suspicious was found with the bones, Cochran said.