Q COSTA RICA NEWS – The remains of Cody Roman Dial, an Alaska adventurer who went missing in 2014, were positively identified after being found in Costa Rica this summer, according to his father.
Foul play had previously been suspected in his disappearance. However, in an obituary published Sunday on Legacy.com, the Roman Dial wrote: “Cody Roman Dial died in July 2014, when a tree fell on his camp in a remote off-trail canyon in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica“.
Roman Dial said in a phone interview Monday with the Alaska Dispatch News (ADN) that DNA test results received in November and dental records showed the remains found in Corcovado National Park were those of his son. Also, items found near the body belonged to Cody Roman.
Cody’s remains were found earlier this year, in May by a local in a ravine located in the Costa Rica national park. Cody Roman went missing in July 2014, his last contact was when he emailed his father a rough itinerary of his trip.
Roman Dial said his son’s passport and money were found among the remains, helping to rule out robbery. Forensic analysis of his bones showed no sign of violence, such as a machete or bullet wounds.
The area were Cody’s body was found is thick with trees that fall often. Roman told ADN, when he was in the national park in Costa Rica when his son’s body was found, a tree almost fell on a nearby camp in the dense jungle.
“I know it sounds kind of far-fetched and kind of weird but it happens a lot there and is dangerous,” he said.
Roman Dial, along with others, had traveled to Costa Rica multiple times to search for his son but no evidence was found. That led him to assume the worst. “I’d come to the conclusion that foul play was involved just because I couldn’t find him,” he said.
A six-episode National Geographic Channel show, “Missing Dial,” documented the family’s search for their son and concentrated on the theory that Cody Roman was murdered. Roman Dial said the show left what happened to his son as inconclusive. He said it focused more on dramatizing events than being an actual documentary.
Still, Roman Dial thinks the show brought more attention to his missing son and may have led to the recovery of his remains. Trailers had begun airing for the show shortly before Cody Roman’s remains were found. Roman Dial thinks that illegal miners and tour guides in the area wanted to see the case solved.
“(The show) was sort of a necessary evil. Did it help? I think it helped a lot. Did we pay a price for that help? Yeah, we did,” he said. “Would I do it again knowing what we know? Yeah, I would because I feel like it helped.”
Roman Dial said his son’s remains were cremated and returned to Alaska.
Soure Adn.com
