NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE
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On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at approximately 11:40 a.m, uniform members of the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) assigned to 3 District (Welland/Pelham) responded to an unidentified human remains call for service located in the Welland Canal in the area of Highway 140 in the City of Welland.
The unidentified human remains were recovered. Detectives with 3 District Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) have taken carriage of the investigation. In addition, the Office of the Chief Coroner was notified and detectives with the NRPS Forensic Services Unit (FSU) attended to support the investigation.
The deceased male has been positively identified as Derek Gibbs who was reported missing on December 17, 2024, in the City of Port Colborne.
The Niagara Regional Police Service would like to thank members of the public who contacted detectives to assist with this investigation.
The investigation remains on-going and detectives are asking anyone with information to contact them by calling (905) 688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009167.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
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