Father and son charged with manslaughter in missing person case

Two men, a father and his son, face a number of charges, including manslaughter, in connection with the finding of human remains in Coleman Township, southeast of Cobalt on April 15.

See: Police searching for missing 21 year old man

Temiskaming OPP were notified of the remains and a post mortem was later conducted by the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service in Ottawa. The remains were identified as those of Nicholas Rivard, of Haileybury. Rivard was last seen on March 24 in Cobalt. Police said at the time that they had not been able to rule out foul play.

See: Human remains identified as missing man

Yesterday members of the Temiskaming OPP Crime Unit arrested two people in relation to that on-going investigation.

Donald Allan Ash, 50, from Cobalt is charged with:

• Manslaughter, 

• Indignity to dead body, 

• Causing death by criminal negligence,

• Trafficking a schedule 1 substance - Opioid.

Donald Kenneth Ash, 28, from Cobalt is charged with:

• Manslaughter, 

• Indignity to a dead body, 

• Causing death by criminal negligence, 

• Trafficking a schedule 1 substance - Opioid, and

• Two counts of failing to comply with a probation order.

Both accused are scheduled to attend the Ontario Court of Justice in Haileybury today.

The investigation is being conducted by members of the Temiskaming OPP Crime Unit, under the direction of Detective Staff Sergeant Kurtis Fredericks, OPP Criminal Investigation Branch.