DNA matches murder victim, not killer

A possible lead has dried up in the murder case of a North Bay man found bound gagged and floating in the Veuve River west of Warren, almost 35 years ago.

On June 20, 1969, Robert William Turner, then 39, left his home for work but didn’t return at the usual time. He was found 34 days later, Ontario Provincial Police said, but he had been dead for less than 72 hours.

One piece of evidence, a cigarette butt in Turner’s vehicle, was sent for DNA testing in February, 2003.

But the results showed it was Turner’s DNA on the cigarette, an OPP news release issued today states.

The case remains opens, despite its age, and the OPP held a news conference about it two years ago to try to find more leads.

New information was received which investigators are following up on.

D/Insp. Dave Cardwell of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch heads the investigation and says he continues to feel there is someone who knows what happened to Robert Turner.

Anyone with information is asked to call the OPP at (705) 475-3300 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800- 222-TIPS (8477).