Police say human skeletal remains discovered in the City of Howell last Friday are those of a man reported missing in 2014.

An individual hiking in the area of D-19 and Morgan Drive made the discovery last Friday around 10:30am. Through the use of dental records, police have since identified the victim as 52-year-old Robert Claude Herrick. Police say evidence at the scene clearly indicated the likely cause of death was suicide. Herrick’s last known address was in Marion Township but police say there was indication he had most recently been staying at the Kensington Inn Motel. Herrick had been reported as missing and possibly suicidal to Michigan State Police in November of 2014. A search was conducted at that time but yielded no results. Police say the remains were located deep in a thicket and heavily wooded area and would not have been visible to the casual observer or passerby.

To date, investigators have not been able to establish that there was any contact with Herrick after October of 2014. Police say it is believed the death occurred sometime in the October/November 2014 time frame. (JM)