Tracy Kovalench
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 12/98) - RCMP have identified the human remains found on a Frame Lake island last weekend as that of Walter Holan.

Next to nothing is known about why or how he died, however.

On Dec. 6, 1996, the 52-year-old Yellowknife resident left Stanton Regional Hospital to attend his son's hockey game. He was a patient at the hospital at the time and was out on a day pass.

Holan did not to make it to the game and was reported missing after failing to return to the hospital that night.

In the following days, RCMP officers conducted an extensive search of the area around the hospital, but found nothing.

Police said they traced Holan's credit cards, conducted air surveillance and alerted police in the Czech Republic, Holan's home country.

Up until the discovery of his body last weekend by a pair of canoeists, his disappearance has remained a mystery.

RCMP Const. Anna-Marie Mallard said Thursday it is impossible to determine the exact date of Holan's death.

Holan, a former City Cab driver, was reportedly last seen wearing dress pants, while his body was discovered in sweat pants, suggesting more than a day passed before he died.

Both pairs of pants were reported to be blue, however, and it is also possible he died shortly after leaving the hospital, in the same clothes he was last seen wearing.

RCMP have yet to determine the cause of Holan's death, despite an autopsy conducted this week in Edmonton, but foul play is not suspected. His remains showed no sign of injury.

Holan's body was found face down and fully clothed in the middle of the island near the legislature building.

Police would not release names of family members and attempts to contact Holan's family were unsuccessful.