Body in Whitefish Lake identified

Human remains and personal effects identified as belonging to 14-year old David Almos were recovered Sunday afternoon from Whitefish Lake by Flathead County Dive Team members, sheriff's deputy Jordan White said.

With Sunday's identification, the decades-old mystery of the teenager who disappeared after a 1972 boating accident is closer than ever to being solved. There were no witnesses to the accident.

The body of 15-year old Jay Richardson, who was fishing with Almos, was recovered the following month. Divers, however, had not been able to find Almos' body until two weeks ago, when fishermen recovered a sock and foot from the water.

Dive team members went to the scene and were able to locate human remains and retrieve a skull. The skull, however, was not readily identifiable as that of David Almos.

Flathead County Dive Team and Flathead Search and Rescue met with members of the Almos and Richardson families on Sunday, White said.

"Many questions regarding the incident preceedng the death of these two young men will never be answered," White said. "But the members of the Flathead County Dive Team are honored to have been part of this recovery effort and returning David Almos to his family."