Remains Found in River Confirmed as Missing Man **Gary Patterson**
Family Receives Closure After Months of Searching
The family of **Gary Patterson**, who disappeared last October, has received the heartbreaking confirmation that remains discovered in a County Down river are those of their loved one. The discovery brings an end to a prolonged and agonizing search.
Search and Discovery
**Gary Patterson**, 45, was last seen in his hometown of Larne. He was reported missing after being captured on CCTV leaving his flat in Priory Gardens. He subsequently withdrew £100 (€118) from a local cash machine on October 12th at 10:30 am.
A comprehensive search operation, involving multiple agencies, was launched, focusing on rivers, forests, and Larne Lough. Despite extensive efforts, the search yielded no results until Saturday, when remains were found in a river near Crawfordsburn, close to the Ballyrobert Road area.
**Simon Patterson**, **Gary**’s brother, revealed that the family had prepared for the worst-case scenario throughout the search. He expressed relief that his brother had been found, stating that they had been “looking for a body” for some time.
“I first got the news on Sunday while we were doing a search and we received a phone call from police in CID asking them to come across to speak to us. There was that much information in the call [with police], we sort of knew because the coat and his wallet had actually been found with the body.”
—Simon Patterson, Brother of Gary Patterson
A Dedicated Search and a Quiet Life
The family had proactively contacted funeral homes in anticipation of this outcome. **Simon Patterson** had even invested in specialist diving equipment, including a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), to search Larne Lough, conducting weekly searches until his brother was located.
According to his brother, **Gary Patterson** was a quiet individual, described as “a wee bit of a loner,” who enjoyed collecting DVDs. He took pride in his flat and maintained a regular routine, typically returning home by 4 pm. He was known for his kindness and abstained from alcohol and drugs, frequently visiting local charity shops.
Recent data from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) indicates that there are currently over 600,000 active missing persons cases in the United States, highlighting the widespread impact of these tragedies. (NamUs)
Police Investigation
A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that a post-mortem examination has been completed, but the identification process is ongoing. They did not provide a timeframe for the completion of this process.
**Simon Patterson** and his family are now focused on arranging **Gary**’s funeral and achieving closure. He stated, “At the end of the day, our priority is to get closure and get him laid to rest.”
