Authorities are closer to identifying the human remains found Wednesday afternoon along the Monongahela River bank in Forward.

The Allegheny County medical examiner's office last night was reviewing medical and dental records. An investigator said that task should be completed by today.

Speculation is that the remains could be those of Stephen Berry Jr., 35, of Amity, Washington County, who disappeared with a fishing buddy April 22 after they fell from their boat into the Mon in Fayette County.

The body of one of the men, Trent A. Stupak, 40, of Washington, was recovered a week later, on April 29, downriver from the Maxwell Lock and Dam where the 16-foot boat had capsized.

Cristy Berry, Mr. Berry's wife, has held out hope that her husband would be found. Until recently, she had kept an almost daily vigil near the scene of his disappearance.

Mrs. Berry, 34, declined comment yesterday, except to say that she and their two children, as well as other relatives and friends, are waiting on word from the medical examiner.

At about 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, a woman who had been walking along the Monongahela River reported finding human bones along the east bank, across from Allegheny Power Co.'s Mitchell Station and near the Molnar Marina off Molnar Road in Forward Township, the medical examiner said.

The medical examiner said today that a tentative identification had been made. Allegheny County police detectives, one of the investigating agencies, found other evidence at the scene that could possibly identify the victim. A spokesman declined to detail the items found.

After Mr. Stupak's boat capsized, search crews from neighboring fire departments and Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Greene counties searched the river for about a week. Divers from the Army Corps of Engineers joined them six days after the accident.

About a week after the boat capsized, divers found a trolling motor, a brand-new fishing reel and Mr. Berry's cell phone, which still was operable.

Mr. Stupak's body was found the next day.

Wednesday marked the second time in a week that remains have been found in or near the Monongahela River.

On Aug. 24, divers found the body of William Gardner, 32, about an hour after their search began near the fishing spot where Mr. Berry had fallen into the water. Mr. Gardner also had been fishing with friends when their boat stalled and he fell into the river.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission ruled his death an accident.

The commission also is investigating Mr. Berry's accident, along with Forward police, the Allegheny County Police Department and authorities in Fayette County.

First Published: September 1, 2006, 4:00 a.m.