A body found in a Waukesha County lake last year has now been identified as a man reported missing in 1996, WISC-TV reports.
Town of Oconomowoc police say DNA from a family member was used to identify 31-year-old Thomas Engel. Officials say the conditions of Okauchee Lake, which is more than 90 feet deep, preserved Engel's body over the years. He was reported missing during a boating incident in June of 1996.
When the body was discovered last October, police Chief James Wallis says he was reminded of the 1996 case. He was a patrolman when Engel went missing. Wallis worked with a family member to find Engel's biological mother, who provided a DNA sample.
It took nearly 11 months for results from the DNA testing.
