DNA of mother's blood sample matches bone specimen from corpse

KUANTAN: The corpse found in Pulau Tioman has been identified as that of Briton Gareth David Huntley’s.

Pahang police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Sharifuddin Ab Ghani said DNA test results had confirmed that the blood sample from Huntley’s mother Janet Southwell matched a bone specimen from the body.

He said DNA results and interpretation from the Petaling Jaya Chemistry Depart­ment had stated that after comparisons were made with the collected DNA profiles, it was found that the blood specimen donor, Southwell, was the biological mother of the donor of the bone from the body.

“The maternity probability was 99.9999% based on the short tandem repeat database of the Malaysian races of Malay, Chinese and Indians. This meant that the corpse found was Huntley’s,” SDCP Sharifuddin said.

When contacted, state CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mohd Zakaria Ahmad said they were still investigating the cause of Huntley’s death pending the finalisation of the post-mortem reports.

“That includes the toxicology report and other documentation. We will have to refer to that to find out the cause of death.”

SAC Mohd Zakaria said the British High Commission had been notified of the findings and would handle the claiming of the body.

Rescuers stumbled upon Huntley’s body in the Mentawak River during their search for the 34-year-old London accountant who volunteered in a turtle conservation project.

He was reported to have gone trekking alone to the Lubuk Teja waterfall on May 27.

In a statement issued by PR firm Blackstock on its behalf, the Huntley family said: “We would like to thank everyone who came together in the last week to do everything in their power to help find Gareth.

“There are no words that can capture the devastation we feel right now; no words that can capture the kindness, warmth and spirit that Gareth exuded; no words that can describe the void he will leave in all of the lives he touched.”