An elderly dementia sufferer who disappeared from his Deakin home last week has met with a tragic end, after his body was discovered in remote terrain just past the ACT border.
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Deakin man Rowen Osborn, 87, went missing on Monday after driving to the local shops to withdraw money from an ATM.
Mr Osborn had been just three minutes from his home and had called family to tell them he would be back soon.
But Mr Osborn never returned, and that phone call would prove to be the last time his family heard his voice.
Police had immediately raised fears for the man's safety.
He was without medication and suffered from a number of medical issues, police said. His family issued an emotional plea to the public for help, but Mr Osborn could not be found.
Tragically, police yesterday confirmed that Mr Osborn was found dead by a passer-by in a remote area near the Mt Scabby Range Nature Reserve, north of Adaminaby.
His body had been found next to a vehicle about 3.15pm on Sunday.
Police established a crime scene at the area, and forensic officers were called to investigate. It is still unclear exactly how Mr Osborn came to be at the nature reserve, and the exact cause of death is unknown.
Mr Osborn had been without his medication for just under a week, and police said there were no suspicious circumstances related to the death.
His family had described Mr Osborn as a gentle, kind and approachable man.
He had lived in Canberra since the 1940s, working as a diplomat and staying in the city through retirement.
Police and family had initially thought Mr Osborn was lost somewhere in Canberra's inner south, but local authorities had alerted their NSW counterparts to keep a lookout for Mr Osborn as well.
NSW Police will now investigate the death and prepare a report for the NSW Coroner.
