The days of searching for Yvon Lacasse have turned into a grim reality for his family.

Police found a body in Arundel, 100 kilometres northwest of Montreal, late Wednesday afternoon, calling off the search for the missing 71-year-old man.

On Thursday afternoon, the Surete du Quebec confirmed the body they discovered on the banks of the Riviere Rouge is that of Lacasse.

The discovery led Lacasse’s family to let go of their last hopes of finding him alive.     

“It’s a relief that Yvon's been found, but at the same time, the reality that this whole nightmare is a true story,” said Lacasse’s niece, Diane Richer.

The drama began last Thursday. A suspect on the run in connection with an Amber Alert stopped at a Lachute rest area, where Lacasse's car was stolen.

What happened next still isn't clear.

“I don't think we'll ever be able to explain it. The story unfolded and I don't ever think in 100 years we'll be able to explain it or make sense of it, because it does not make sense,” said Richer.

Police are looking for someone they call a critical witness, a man last seen with the suspect and his son in Rouyn-Noranda. Police believe he can fill in some of the blanks as to why and how this happened.

For a community of just over 12,000, the news sent shockwaves through Lachute, where Lacasse lived his entire life.

People there say the amount of volunteers who showed up to help find Lacasse showed how tightly knit the community is.

“We're in Lachute. It's a small community. Those things we read in books, we see on TV and you feel bad for those poor people that are going through all this. It's us this time,” said Richer.

The 41-year-old suspect in the Amber Alert has been accused of second-degree murder in the death of the six-year-old boy's mother.

His lawyer, Pierre Gauthier, said the suspect is expected to be released from hospital soon. The Surete du Quebec said it would happen on Friday at the earliest, and that they will be questioning his in relation to Lacasse.

So far, police haven’t revealed if any additional charges related to Lacasse's death will be laid.        

For Lacasse’s family, the discovery is only the beginning of a long healing process and a search now replaced with a search for answers.

“At least we can start to grieve,” said Richer.