Human remains identified as Peter Degan after grim discovery near Shirley

A high school group's chilling find leads to a homicide probe. What happened to Peter Degan in his final days—and who is responsible?

, and Administrator

2026 March 8 . 11:04 AM

1 min read

The image shows a black and white photo of a skeleton in the dirt, surrounded by stones and other... — The image shows a black and white photo of a skeleton in the dirt, surrounded by stones and other objects. At the top and bottom of the image, there is text which reads "archaeological excavation of the remains of a man".

Human remains identified as Peter Degan after grim discovery near Shirley

Human remains discovered in the water near Shirley Police on March 4 have been identified as Peter Degan. A group of high school students made the discovery around 5:30 p.m. that day. Authorities are now investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

Degan was last seen alive on February 27, just days before the remains were found. At the time, he was residing in a pre-release center following his imprisonment. In 2019, he had pleaded guilty to charges linked to cocaine trafficking and distribution.

A preliminary investigation suggests Degan's remains were severed by a sharp instrument. Foul play is strongly suspected, though investigators do not believe the attack was random. Despite ongoing efforts, authorities have not yet recovered his full body, and the search for additional remains continues.

The exact cause of death has not yet been determined.

The case remains under active investigation, with police urging anyone with information to come forward. Updates on the progress of the inquiry are expected from official sources in due course.