**Human Remains Identified as Man Missing Since 1997, Swansea Inquest Hears**
The discovery of a human skull in woodland on the outskirts of Swansea has shed new light on the decades-old disappearance of David Emrys Gear, bringing closure to a mystery that has weighed heavily on his family for almost 28 years.
David Emrys Gear was reported missing in September 1997 from Granville House nursing home, where he had been a resident. Despite extensive searches at the time, including police helicopters, mounted units, and divers combing local rivers and land, the then 86-year-old could not be located. For years, his disappearance remained unsolved, leaving loved ones without answers.
The matter was brought back into the public eye earlier this year when a member of the public discovered a human skull near Pentremalwed Road in Morriston, Swansea, on 20 February. The inquest into Mr Gear’s death, opened at Swansea’s Guildhall, heard that the skull was found lying on the surface of the woodland floor, surrounded by natural debris but not fully embedded in the earth. Investigators suggested that the remains had been exposed for a significant period.
Forensic experts used advanced DNA profiling, including familial DNA comparisons, to officially confirm the identity of the remains as those of Mr Gear. The confirmation puts an end to years of speculation about Mr Gear’s fate and allows his family to begin seeking closure. Authorities remarked that the site where the skull was recovered is in proximity to where Mr Gear was last reported as missing.
During the original investigation in 1997, Mr Gear’s disappearance sparked a significant response, with a county-wide search mobilised in a bid to find the elderly man. Reports from the time describe how emergency services covered extensive ground in their efforts, reflecting the sense of urgency and concern for Mr Gear’s well-being.
At the time of his vanishing, Mr Gear was described as a frail man, struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. He was last seen dressed in a navy tracksuit with white stripes, a short-sleeved shirt, and bedroom slippers. Police described him as walking with a noticeable stoop, having a small red mark on the side of his nose, and possessing blue eyes, grey receding hair, and a ruddy complexion. Born in Fforestfach, Swansea, Mr Gear was a former miner and a father to three sons, a daughter, and six stepchildren. His wife, Sarah, also residing at the same care home, passed away a year after his disappearance without knowing her husband’s fate.
The inquest proceedings have, for the time being, been adjourned while South Wales Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr Gear’s death on behalf of the coroner. Officials have not indicated when the full inquest will resume, noting that further inquiries and assessments are ongoing to determine what happened in the weeks and months after Mr Gear was last seen.
News of the identification has rippled throughout the Swansea community, reviving memories of the concerted search effort and the public appeals for information in the late 1990s. The case has also prompted renewed discussion about the vulnerabilities faced by elderly residents in care facilities and the importance of safeguarding measures to prevent similar tragedies.
As the police continue their investigation, the hope among both Mr Gear’s surviving family and the wider public is that the final inquest will bring additional clarity and peace to those who have waited so long for news. Updates on this story will be made available as the inquiry progresses.