The family of Daniel O'Keeffe are devastated their five-year search for him has ended with finding his remains underneath their Victorian home.
They last saw him at the family home, in Highton, near Geelong, on July 15, 2011 - where his family says his remains were found yesterday.
In a statement today, the O'Keeffe family said they had been overwhelmed by the love and support of the local community during their five-year search for "kind and loving" Daniel.
"Our family is devastated with the news that the search for our beloved son and brother has ended this way," the statement said.
"All of your thoughts, wishes and prayers are a huge comfort to our family as we come to terms with our tragic loss."
Just days after he went missing, Mr O'Keeffe's sister Loren launched a social media campaign to find her troubled brother, who she believed was alive but not reaching out because of mental health issues.
She regularly posted updates and messages to her brother and became a known figure on television, raising awareness for missing people.
Despite not finding him during a two-month search of southeast Queensland in 2011 after reported sightings, the family believed he was alive.
Loren told Network Ten's The Project last December that they would "never" give up hope so they were shocked when his remains were found.
Mr O'Keeffe's father Des was the one who reportedly discovered his son's remains under the house yesterday.
Police have established a crime scene but detectives are yet to confirm if the remains belong to Mr O'Keeffe.
"We're treating it at the highest level at this stage until we satisfy ourselves there's no suspicious activity," Detective Sergeant Adam Foreham told reporters outside the O'Keefe home.
A post-mortem examination is expected to shed light on how long the body had been beneath the house.
