In August, 1989, Duncan MacPherson of Saskatoon went missing. He was a professional hockey player on his way to a team in Scotland and was spending time in Germany then Austria, enjoying a trip when he suddenly went missing. He normally checked in with family but that suddenly stopped. The parents wanted to know what had happened to their son and travelled to Austria to try to find out. They were met with a cold reception. Their investigation with questioning was met with a rather blase and 'there is nothing to see' attitude. "He fell in a crevasse of the glacier". And were even told to "get on with your lives". They finally ran out of options.
Some 20 years later the son's mutilated body shows up as the glacier melted during a heat wave. No autopsy was done. A few photos were taken. A CT scan was requested and done with no professional interpretation. Finally, in frustration, the parents contacted John Leake who is a true crime author and this book came from his investigation.
One attorney referred to the Austrian place - the Stubai Glacier ski resort and Stubai valley as a 'company town'. That is accurate. Austrian thoroughness? Not a bit. Also, their own Canadian consul official in Munich told the receptionist to "Get rid of those people. I don't care how you do it'.
It's a fascinating book.
Incidentally, not all of the mutilation is due to the forces of the glacier. Therein lies the investigation and story.
