Human Remains Identified As Missing Franklin County Man

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control announced April 18 the recovery of human remains, identified as Aaron M. Duenke, 37, Washington.

Duenke’s body was found on April 13 in St. Louis County.

Duenke was last seen floating on Missouri River ice floe, near Washington, on December 27, 2022. In the following weeks, multi-jurisdictional searches for Duenke were conducted along the Missouri River. However, the searches were unsuccessful.

On April 13, a citizen located human remains along the Missouri River near Chesterfield, in St. Louis County. The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol - Water Patrol Division assisted in the recovery. The Division of Drug and Crime Control took possession of the remains and released them to the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office for identification.

On April 18, the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the identity of the remains to be Duenke. His next of kin have been notified.