The disappearance of John Angus Mowat was the talk of the Francois Lake area in 1984.
Popular, community-involved, a father of three young girls and husband to a similarly popular wife, Mowat lived in a home only metres from the shoreline.
"Mowat was 33 years old when he disappeared into the waters of Francois Lake on July 13, 1984," said regional coroner Donita Kuzma. "His boat was found with a fishing rod and a freshly caught fish in it, but his body was never recovered."
That changed on June 30 when searchers on the hunt for missing fisher Syd Neville caught sight, via high-depth sonar, of a body on the bottom of Francois Lake. It was at a depth of about 170 metres (570 feet).
As soon as an unmanned submarine brought the body to the surface, however, it was known that the figure was not that of Neville.
"The family of Mr. Mowat has been notified of these findings," said Kuzma.
Those close to the search confirmed that the surviving Mowat family members had already extended sincere condolences to the family still searching, some of whom knew Neville.
Neville's search was privately organized with underwater imaging experts Gene and Sandy Ralston. The Ralstons had to close their search efforts on Francois by this past weekend due to their own medical appointment in their home state of Idaho.
They also said they were willing to return and resume the search once their obligations were complete, as long as their travel costs were covered. They conduct underwater searches all over North America based on payment of their incidentals. The search work is done on a largely volunteer basis.
