A vigil has been held in memory of teenager Cole Cooper whose death remains “unexplained”.
The 19-year-old was last seen in Longcroft, near Falkirk, and was missing for a month before his body was discovered in a wooded area near Kilsyth Road in nearby Banknock.
On Sunday evening, family and friends gathered within the grounds of Glenskirlie Castle hotel in Banknock to pay tribute to him.
His mother, Wendy Stewart, held up a flare at the event and was seen comforting two young children, while his older brother Connor Cooper thanked all those in the community who had helped with the search.
In a tearful speech he described his sibling as “one of the most loving and caring boys there was”, before adding: “As a family we will continue to demand for answers and get justice for you.”
Aimee Tennie, his aunt, said her nephew was “the most handsome, caring, loving boy”.
She added: “This little boy wanted nothing more than to have a family of his own and to have his business thrive.
“We are absolutely broken as a family. It doesn’t feel real. We don’t want to say goodbye to you.”
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Cole Cooper was reported missing on 9 May, sparking a major Police Scotland search that involved air support and the force’s dive and marine unit.
As part of the police investigation, almost 400 residents were spoken to during door-to-door enquires and more than 2,000 hours of CCTV footage was collected.
He had earlier been captured on CCTV at about 6am on 4 May as he failed to access his father’s home following a house party in the Longcroft area.
The teen was last spotted in the same village by an old school friend at about 8.45pm on 7 May.
His body was found in nearby Banknock on 6 June, with police treating the death as “unexplained”.
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On Friday, the force confirmed Mr Cooper’s body had been formally identified.
Chief Inspector Alex Hatrick said: “My thoughts are with Cole’s family and friends at this time and officers will continue to offer them support.
“As our inquiries progress, we are ensuring the family is kept informed with all aspects of the investigation. A dedicated team of detectives is working to piece together Cole’s movements leading up to his death.
“Again, I would urge people to think back and please contact police with any information, no matter how small it might seem.”
