(CNN) Bones discovered in an Idaho cave in 1979 and 1991 have been identified as the remains of Joseph Henry Loveless, a man who escaped from prison more than a century ago after being arrested for killing his wife.

The identification, confirmed by the Clark County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, was initially made by non-profit volunteer organization DNA Doe Project, which said in a Facebook post that the "remains were preserved in the Buffalo Cave for as long as 63 years."

Loveless likely died around 1916 at age 46, the organization said. He appears to have been killed and dismembered.

Before his death, Loveless had been arrested at least twice for bootlegging and escaped custody by sawing through jail bars, the organization said.

Around that time Clark County Sheriff Bart May said Loveless killed his wife with an ax and was incarcerated in what was then Freemont County. He escaped again, this time using a saw he hid in his shoe, the organization said. He was never seen again.

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