COLUMBUS – Hunters came across the remains of a human body in the woods of Columbus Saturday that may belong to a man missing since February. The New York State Police responded to a report from local hunters that human skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area nearly half a mile from State Rt. 80 in Columbus. State Police have not officially named the deceased, but witnesses at the scene believe they belong to Edward E. Hatton, as they recovered a wallet from the remains with Hatton’s identification inside.

Hatton, 58, originally from McDonough, was developmentally disabled and had disappeared last February. Hatton received care from the Department of Social Services. He was last seen walking in downtown New Berlin near his home. Hatton was a ward of the state and lived with a local family on North Main Street. A search was conducted by the County Sheriff’s Department, New Berlin police and fire personnel, state forest rangers and others, but Hatton was never found. The night following his disappearance, temperatures reached 24 degrees.