The search for Justin Hooiman, who had been missing since November 20, 2017, came to a close when his remains were recovered from a pond in West Valley City. The discovery, made by a local fisherman back in March, ended the nearly eight-year-long mystery concerning his whereabouts.
An investigation that was to immediately follow the grisly find began the day after the fisherman reported the bones near the pond's edge. Using DNA testing, the Utah Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the identity of the skeletal remains, offering a somber resolution to Hooiman's family, who had held hope for his safe return. The news came as a small solace to his mother, Marilyn Stevenson, who, as obtained by ABC4 News, described the moment as "such relief" and recounted her struggle to even have her son listed as a missing person due to his status as an adult with a history of substance abuse and involvement with the criminal justice system.
At the time of his disappearance, Hooiman was living at the Fortitude Treatment Center, a halfway house in Salt Lake City for parolees, following his release from prison. He had a recorded history of drug-related offenses and had been candid about his struggle with addiction following personal tragedies and the overprescription of pain medication.
Phillip Morfin, the fisherman who made the discovery, was later met with gratitude by Stevenson for his role in bringing some measure of closure to her family's protracted ordeal. "Oh my gosh, it has been so long. Thank you," she said tearfully to Morfin, according to her interview with ABC4 News. Morfin's response signified the human connection forged from the grim circumstances: "You're welcome," adding that he simply "wanted to do the right thing."
Despite the identification of Hooiman's remains, questions linger regarding the circumstances of his death. West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku acknowledged the ongoing investigation without detailing a potential cause of death, as reported by KSL.com. In previous years, family members expressed concern over his well-being and interactions at the treatment center, indicating his disappearance was out of character, a sentiment echoed in reporting by FOX 13.
