Oregon detectives reopened their investigation into the 2013 disappearance of a woman after a mushroom hunter found suspicious human hair and tissue, officials said Tuesday.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said Stephanie Ann Warner disappeared after leaving the Fourth of July parade in Ashland with her then-boyfriend Lenny Amis. They were supposed to go to Warner’s home in Roche, located in southern Oregon near the border with California, but Warner was never seen again.
“It is believed that Lenny and his son Jared Fournier knew something about Stephanie’s disappearance but did not cooperate with the investigation,” the authorities wrote on Facebook.
Officials believe Warner, who was 43, was the victim of a murder, but they could not find her to confirm it, the Jackson County Sgt. Jesse Ainsworth said.
Officials said investigators reopened the cold case after a mushroom hunter found what appeared to be human hair and tissue about 2.5 miles from where Warner lived. After a mushroom catcher reported the suspicious remains, officers went to the scene.
“We went there and captured some hairs and have since confirmed it was human,” Ainsworth said. The hair is sent to the Oregon State Police forensic laboratory for further testing.
The National Missing and Unknown Persons System
Authorities said the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office will be out with search and rescue teams and cadaver dogs to see if they can find Warner’s remains.
“I think this case is solvable and that’s why we will never give up until we find her,” Ainsworth said. “We want Stephanie back to her family and justice for her.” “We’ve come so close. We’ve gone through everything, all the casebooks, all the evidence, reinterviewed everyone, and we’re close and I know we’ll find it, but we just need a little help.”
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