More than a week after a man, living in Belize, with ties to Edmonton disappeared – the man’s family confirmed that a body found in another country had been identified as his.

On Christmas Day, a chef hired to cook for Brian Townsend, arrived to find Townsend’s apartment, located in the Valley of Peace, Belize, in disarray, and Townsend was missing.

Three days after his disappearance, Townsend’s son Kory travelled to Belize to try and find his father.

On Wednesday, January 1, Kory Townsend said police in Belize told him Guatemalan Police had found a body fitting the missing man’s description.

However, on Thursday, Townsend’s family said the body had been identified as that of Brian Townsend – and police in Belize and Guatemala are working on a criminal investigation.

Late last week, Kory Townsend told CTV News his father had been living and working in Belize for nine years, doing missionary work - and there had been no previous concerns for his safety.