SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Human remains found in the Con Mine area in April are those of Philip McNeil, a 25-year-old Yellowknife man who went missing last October, says the NWT's chief coroner.

While final results from a pathologist in Alberta have not come back to confirm that the two sets of remains found were from the same person, Garth Eggenberger said McNeil's family has been notified that at least some of the remains belong to McNeil.

Eggenberger said the lengthy delay in releasing the identification were due to the fact that two separate sets of remains were found in the area.

"We wanted to make sure of everything all together," said the coroner, who specified one of the sets has been positively identified as belonging to McNeil.

"We've talked to the family already."

He said the pathologist in Alberta had also requested another set of medical records to perform the final report, which took more time. The coroner's office will make the results public for both remains once the final report has been received from the medical examiner, which Eggenberger said could be late this week or next week.

McNeil's uncle, Yellowknife resident Matthew Grogono, said the family is still digesting the news and will likely release a statement once the report is made public. He said a memorial service is being planned in the near future.

McNeil, who had been a resident of Yellowknife for about two years, was last seen heading to work at the Jackfish Lake power plant Oct. 3. Police began a search of the Con Mine area after a passerby discovered the human remains April 17.

In late May, RCMP reported they had identified the remains.

However, Const. Kathy Law said the RCMP were not releasing the name until a final report had been received from a medical examiner in Alberta.

"We still haven't received anything on the human remains," Law told Yellowknifer on Wednesday.

She said the RCMP does not suspect foul play.