N.L. police seeking help to recreate timeline leading up to death of Cuban man in late '90s

Murder investigators are asking for the public's help in connecting the dots between a Cuban man's arrivalin Canada and his deathmore than two decades ago.

Earlier this week, police announced they'd learned the identity ofTemistocle (Temy) Casas, whose remains were found in Conception Bay South in 2001. On Wednesday, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary appealed to the public for any information that might help piece together the circumstances of his death.

"Every piece of information is vital and can be valuable, and in this case that's more true than ever," RNCConst. James Cadigan told reporters at a news conference. "Because so much time has passed since this gentleman's death, every small piece or detail can lead us in a direction that can, you know, essentially resolve some questions we have."

Since the discovery of Casas'ssevered head was found in a garbage bag at dump site, policehave used numerous testing methods over the years to try to identify him, then caught a break earlier this year through a DNA match with a first cousin.

Police say theybelieveCasas who until last month was known only as "Conception Bay John Doe" was in his 30s and died between 1997 and 1998.

Nowpolice are looking to build a timeline of hisfinal days and months in Canada. Investigators know he travelled to Montreal in April 1992 with a tourist visa seeking lawful entry into Canada, but his journey falls off the grid after that.

"We know that Mr. Casas spent time in Montreal, Quebec, but we do not have any record as to what led him to Newfoundland and Labrador," Cadigan said.

"What occurred? What's the story with Temy Casas? And we're leaning on the community as a whole, but this is an international story. So we really want to get the reach out there, to get as much information about Mr. Casas as possible."

Police say the investigation will also involve determining whether Casas was reported missing in another jurisdiction.

Cadigan said investigators are looking to make contact with a Joanne Bergeron, who police say worked as a travel agent in Cuba prior to April 1992 and would be around 68 years old today. It's unclear whether Bergeron is a Canadian citizen, he added.

WATCH | The RNC wants the public's help after identifying a man whose head was found in a dumpster 23 years ago:

Man finally identified 23 years after remains found in N.L., but police need publics help filling in the blanks

5 months ago

Duration 0:58

Conception Bay John Doe, whose remains were found at a dump site in 2001, has been identified as Temistocle Casas from Cuba. RNC Const. James Cadigan tells reporters its the longest time between the discovery of remains to their identification the force has ever seen. But while Cadigan says a team of officers have pieced together some details, there are many gaps to fill.

The Casasinvestigation is among the lengthiest undertaken by theforce, Cadigan said, adding it's the RNC's longest time on record between a person's remains being found and the confirmation of their identity.

Investigators hope to keep moving the case forward, he said, with a major case management team dedicated to the investigation.

"This is what you think about as a cold case, you know, being solved in the sense that we have an unidentified remains, and now we put a name to that. Our deceased has an identity, and for investigators this is a gratifying moment."

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