Overview
- The body and his vehicle were discovered on October 23 in a long-unentered garage in Essen-Borbeck by a property manager checking a vacant unit.
- Forensic examination and a DNA comparison completed in early November established the remains as those of the man who vanished in 2017.
- Police said they found no evidence of foul play, noting there are no indications of third-party involvement.
- The case drew sustained public attention as his family issued repeated appeals over the years, and he was well known in the regional beverage and gastronomy sector.
- Authorities have not clarified why the garage went unchecked for years, and earlier inquiries in 2017 reportedly found no record that he had rented such a space.