Body of a Niagara man killed fighting ISIS returns home, but family isn’t sure it’s his

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A body believed to be that of a Niagara Falls man killed while fighting against ISIS overseas has been brought back to Canada, but the family has doubts the body is actually his.

The casket believed to be carrying the body of Nazzareno Tassone arrived at Pearson airport Saturday night. It took five hours before it cleared customs but the family never got a chance to see inside. Instead it was taken by the coroner’s office to verify the identity and cause of death. Tassone’s older sister Francine Faulkner says since learning about her brother’s death six months ago the family has been saddled with more questions.

The 24-year-old was killed on December 21st in Iraq while fighting ISIS militants. They were told his body was taken by ISIS and it wasn’t recovered until last month. Last week the family received an autopsy report but it was filled with errors.

“There was a difference in age, a difference in height and the wounds in the body didn’t measure up to what we were told. We were told Naz was shot.” Francine Faulkner, sister.

Faulkner had sent her brother’s dental records to confirm his identity, according to the autopsy they were a match, but the other errors are casting doubts on who is actually inside the casket. The family had originally planned on burying their son this week.

We spoke with the coroner’s office and were told it could take several weeks to determine the cause of death, but the identity could be confirmed this week and the body could be returned to the family sooner than they thought.

Related stories:

https://www.www.chch.com/141825-2/

https://www.www.chch.com/niagara-falls-man-killed-fighting-syria-isis/