Flagstaff, AZ – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with Intermountain Forensics and the Coconino County Office of the Medical Examiner, has confirmed that the skeletal remains found at the base of Mt. Elden in 2019 belong to Mark Austin Dunne, who was reported missing from Phoenix in 2017.
Dunne’s remains were initially discovered by a hiker on November 2, 2019, in a remote, wooded area at the base of Mt. Elden. Early attempts by investigators to identify the remains were unsuccessful.
In August 2023, the CCSO engaged Intermountain Forensics from Salt Lake City, UT, to use Forensic Genetic Genealogy in identifying the remains. A DNA profile was created and matched with profiles in genealogy databases. By February 2024, Intermountain Forensics identified a family line and confirmed Mark Dunne as a probable match.
A subsequent DNA comparison with Dunne’s family members, conducted by the University of North Texas, along with further investigation by detectives, verified that the remains were indeed Dunne’s.
Dunne had been reported missing to the Phoenix Police Department in March 2017 after failing to make contact with his family. The exact timing of his arrival in the Flagstaff area is unclear, but investigations suggest he had been camping in the region for some time. The cause of Dunne’s death remains undetermined.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to Intermountain Forensics, the Coconino County Office of the Medical Examiner, Phoenix Police Department, and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification for their diligent efforts in identifying Mark Dunne.
The Sheriff’s Office also offers heartfelt condolences to Mr. Dunne’s family, who have requested privacy during this difficult time.
