DNA test links bones to missing teenager

Leg bones still encased in a gray tube sock and work boot pulled from the Susquehanna River 17 months ago were identified Friday as belonging to a Barton teenager who vanished more than two decades ago, a police investigator said Friday.

DNA tests showed a 99.9 percent match between the bones and Eli Vanderpool, who disappeared Nov. 26, 1985, Tioga County Sheriff's Investigator Dan Eiklor said. The tests were conducted at the University of North Texas.

But while Eiklor can now close one of Tioga County's oldest missing persons' cases after many years, the identification raises other questions, namely how the 17-year-old boy ended up in the river -- and how he died, the detective said. The case remains a cold case, the detective said.

"The case isn't quite closed," Eiklor said. "It's opened up other doors."

Eli's mother, Patricia Vanderpool, has waited for answers about what happened to her son for 22 years. Friday's DNA results -- that the bones belonged to her son -- offered only partial relief, she said. She said she knew in her heart 17 months ago that the leg bones belonged to Eli.

She's always believed that foul play was involved. The stories and rumors about Eli's disappearance continue to haunt the Barton mother.

"The not knowing is just horrible," Patricia said Friday. "You've got to keep hope alive. But if my son had been alive, I know he would have tried to get ahold of me."

Vanderpool disappeared after leaving a party in Smithboro, family members said. A few days later, a pickup truck owned by a neighbor was pulled from the Susquehanna River near Vanderpool's home in the Town of Barton, but no bodies were ever found, Eiklor said. DNA samples were taken from Eli's parents, Eli Sr. and Patricia, years ago, before the leg bones were discovered, Patricia said.

Vanderpool was wearing work boots when he vanished, his mother said.

Eiklor will meet with Pennsylvania state police in the coming weeks to talk about the evidence in the case. The leg bones were found May 29, 2005, by canoeists on a river island near Towanda, Pa., and taken to state police in the Bradford County, Pa., community.

The detective doesn't know what answers to the mystery can be found so many years later.

"To be honest, I don't know if we'll ever really know," Eiklor said.

And Eli Vanderpool will finally get a proper funeral and burial, his mother said. That will come after his remains are returned to the family, although Patricia Vanderpool didn't know when that would be.

"At least we can give him a proper burial," she said Friday, her voice breaking. "Now, we can put him to rest."