By Alex Benzegala
Panhandle Post
Scottsbluff Police released a statement on Friday that they had received a DNA match of a Scottsbluff man that went missing in 2016. 71-year-old Walter Eugene Patterson Black was last seen on May 12, 2016, at a local convenience store.
In October 2021, a human bone, that was confirmed to be human, was found near the North Platte River between Melbeta and Minatare.
A piece of clothing found with the bone resembled the shirt Mr. Patterson-Black was last observed wearing. The bone was sent for DNA comparison to items belonging to Mr. Patterson-Black that were collected during the initial investigation.
On September 14, 2023, the Scottsbluff Police Department received confirmation that the DNA profiles of the bone and Mr. Patterson-Black were a match.
The Scottsbluff Police Department issued a statement:
"Our hopes are the family may now have some closure and peace knowing Gene has been located."
The Scottsbluff Police Department were assisted by the Scottsbluff Fire Department, Scottsbluff County CERT, Airlink, Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office, Goshen County Search and Rescue, and Kris Brock and the Tri-State.