AKWESASNE – A body found in the St. Lawrence River, about 25 kilometers east of Cornwall, earlier this month has been identified.
The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service says it’s 30-year-old Casey Oakes, who went missing in March 2023.
“We wish to extend our condolences to Casey’s family and thank them for their patience during a difficult time,” AMPS said in a statement Friday afternoon.
No other information is being released.
The body was found July 3 near Ross Island on the Ontario side of the river, almost immediately south of the Cooper Marsh Conservation Area in South Glengarry.
Investigators believe Oakes was involved in the smuggling of eight people – two families of Romanian and Indian descent – into the U.S.
They died after the boat they were in, piloted by Oakes, capsized.
A police investigation into Oakes’ death and the death of the eight foreign nationals continues.