While nine bodies were found and authenticated to be that of the last Russian czar and most of his family, it was not until a group of amateur sleuths became involved that a hint of what befell Romanov's missing son and daughter came to light, The New York Times said Sunday.

Vitaly Shitov said that despite being rank amateurs, he and his friends believe they have found the body of the late czar's son, Aleksei, and one of his daughters, whose identity remains a mystery.

Shitov said that by analyzing Soviet-era archives regarding the execution ordered by Soviet Union leader Vladimir Lenin, the investigators found a clue left by one of those involved with the czar's death.

The investigators followed that clue to the spot where the other bodies were found and ultimately located what they believe to be the missing Romanovs.

The Times said the discovered bones are being tested by Russian and U.S. scientists