Human remains found weeks ago have been confirmed as those of missing Dalton man Alan Holt.
Police confirmed the grim discovery in Scholes, Cleckheaton, at the end of March but had not made public they have identified the remains until today.
Detectives are now satisfied, following extensive forensic testing, that the remains belong to 40-year-old Mr Holt, who disappeared in September 2012.
But they have ruled out any suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr Holt’s death and a file will now be passed to the coroner for an inquest to take place.
The discovery was made on March 26 at Scholes Lane.
The remains were found on land close to the road.
His family have now been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.
Det Supt Simon Atkinson, from West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Following DNA tests we have confirmed remains found in March of this year were those of Alan Holt.
“We have been in contact with Mr Holt’s family since the discovery of the remains earlier this year and specially trained officers are continuing to support the family at this difficult time.
“Following a forensic post mortem, we do not believe there any suspicious circumstances and a file will now be passed to the coroner.”
Mr Holt was last seen on September 27, 2012, at his home in Albany Road, Dalton.
Police thought Mr Holt may have been sleeping rough in the Wakefield area but there was a sighting of him on the Spen Valley Greenway, near Mirfield shortly after he disappeared.
He was also seen at the Ravensthorpe Retail Park.
Despite numerous appeals from police and in the Examiner, Mr Holt was only sighted once after that, when it is thought he was sleeping rough in Mirfield in the grounds of St Mary’s Church in Mirfield.
