Who's the Mad Trapper of Rat River? These forensic experts are 'one step closer' to finding out
July marks the 90th anniversary of the arrival of the ‘Mad Trapper of Rat River’ to Canada, who's widely known as a mysterious trapper that shot three RCMP officers during the largest manhunt in Canadian history.
With the help of Indigenous guides, the Mad Trapper was eventually found and killed on the Eagle River, Yukon, on Feb. 17, 1932, according to a news release from Myth Merchant Films.
“This was really the first big electronic media story,” Michael Jorgensen, a producer and filmmaker for Myth Merchant Films in Alberta, said.
“This was the first time radio had gone live to broadcast, this hunt that went on for 49 days in the arctic.”
Despite photos being sent out and thousands of tips from the public, the Mad Trapper’s identity has never been established.
“This has been a very enigmatic and Canadian character and I’ve always been very interested in his origin story. That’s the missing piece,” Jorgensen added.
In 2007, Myth Merchant Films secured permission to exhume the body to conduct an examination of the remains and retrieve leftover DNA samples which was documented in the film Hunt for the Mad Trapper. Now, with the help of forensic specialists, experts are attempting to resume the search for his relatives.
The Mad Trapper of Rat River is exhumed in this recent handout photo. (CP / Matthew Spidell)
David Mittelman, the CEO of Othram, told CTV News Edmonton his team leveraged forensic grade genome sequencing to compile a comprehensive genealogical profile for the Mad Trapper.
“The biggest challenge up front is that here we’re trying to identify someone who is now deceased and it’s been 90 years so the DNA’s not in the greatest shape,” Mittelman explained.
“We’ve built a really good pipeline that can access even the most challenging evidence.”
“We’re one step closer to knowing who he was, why he came here and what his motives were,” Jorgensen added.
'EVERYONE DESERVES A NAME'
So far, Mittelman said they’ve discovered the Mad Trapper has strong familial ties to Sweden and is Swedish-American. The early analysis suggests his lineage hails from the Swedish towns of Hånger, Kävsjö, and Kulltorp, and is potentially linked to the surnames Magnusson and Svensdotter.
To help aid in the investigation, Mittelman is opening it up to the public, asking individuals to submit their DNA to help track down the Mad Trapper’s ancestors.
"If you think this matches your family history and you've participated in a commercial DNA company you can contribute your DNA profile with us,” Mittelman told CTV News.
Mittelman said Othram will use their unique technology to access evidence otherwise inaccessible.
“Everyone deserves a name,” he said.
“It’s never too late to bring people back into the fold and connect them to family members and create a little bit of a closure or close the loop on that investigation.”
“I think if we’re going to identify him it’s gonna be in the next year,” Jorgensen added. “If not in the next year we probably will never know who this individual is.”
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Ryan Harding
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.