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"Circumstantial identification" announced in Colorado for person whose remains were found in Stone Canyon Fire burn area

Person whose remains were found in Colorado home in burn area in 2024 identified
Person whose remains were found in Colorado home in burn area in 2024 identified 00:14

After an extensive investigation by Colorado investigators, the sheriff's office in Boulder County now says they've concluded that human remains found in a destroyed home in the Stone Canyon Fire burn area were that of a 74-year-old man.

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An image of a home that was destroyed in the Stone Canyon Fire during the summer of 2024 CBS

The man's name was Kevin James Tracy.

The sheriff's office described the situation as a "circumstantial identification" by the Boulder County Coroner's Office because DNA analysis didn't lead to a positive confirmation of Tracy's identity. Their news release states that evidence from all of the following sources led to the identification:

- decedent's family
- area retailers
- financial institutions
- law enforcement agencies and the U.S. government

The fire started on July 30 last year north of Lyons and full containment was reached approximately a week later. It burned across 1,500 acres and destroyed five residences.

Tracy's remains were found at the burned house located at 2602 Eagle Ridge Road. It was determined that the wildfire started on that property and then spread. The exact cause of the fire was never determined.

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