Parents believe remains found in Montana are Noah Pippin

UPDATE August 27, 2012

Missing Marine Noah Pippin likely died of exposure

Remains found in Montana wilderness area where Iraq war veteran was last seen in 2010
By Associated Press

About a month before he was last seen, Noah Pippin quit his job with the Los Angeles Police Department. He later went to visit his family in Michigan and told them he was heading back west to serve with the California National Guard.

KALISPELL, Mont. — Human remains have been found in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in northwest Montana, where a team has been searching for an Iraq war veteran who disappeared two years ago, a sheriff said Friday.

The parents of Noah Pippin released a statement Friday saying Lewis and Clark County sheriff’s and coroner’s officials told them remains had been found in the Burnt Creek area.

Authorities haven’t confirmed the identity of the remains yet, but Mike and Rosalie Pippin said there is a strong likelihood they belong to their son.

A search party of border agents, search and rescue officials, a sheriff’s deputy and volunteers found the remains and planned to bring them back to the state crime lab in Missoula. Coroner M.E. “Mickey” Nelson said it could be several days or even weeks before the body can be positively identified.

“There was enough circumstantial evidence that I felt comfortable, and I informed the family, that their loved one has been located, based on preliminary indicators and circumstantial things we found,” Nelson said. He declined to elaborate on what was found.
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