CHIPPEWA COUNTY, Mich. (WZMQ) – Police have uncovered human remains in Chippewa County.
Late last fall, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department (SPD) received a delayed missing person’s complaint. According to a joint press release with the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), officials followed the evidence to a remote location north of Paradise.
The subject’s vehicle was located stuck and out of view off of a two-track road. Officials determined that the person had most likely been missing for approximately one month.
CCSO and SPD immediately started a ground search of the area and flew a CCSO drone. There was already a layer of snow in the area, and within a short time, winter hit and left the location inaccessible.
For the last several months, the agencies have been planning a spring search. The search and rescue team put together a comprehensive map with many search zones. The location they planned to search included an area of approximately 1,000 acres. This search area was located on state land and surrounded by several thousand additional acres of state land, which included ridges, swamplands, and ponds.
Efforts began last week with a Michigan State Police aviation unit, which flew a helicopter and a drone to search the area from above. Over the weekend, MISAR brought in 4 K-9 (HRD) Cadaver teams to search the area prior to a ground search.
On Monday, May 18th, a large-scale ground search started. Approximately 35 law enforcement and search and rescue members were involved. A command center was established, and a briefing was conducted early that morning.
Monday’s search resulted in police finding some crucial evidence deep in the wooded area. On Tuesday, police discovered human remains, also located deep in the wooded area. The MSP Crime Lab and the Northern Michigan University Frost Anthropology unit responded to the scene.
The search continued on Wednesday, and all resources were cleared from the area by the evening. Now, police are awaiting forensic confirmation of the victim’s identify.
Assisting in the search were Bay Mills Tribal PD, Trident, the Michigan DNR, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), USFS LE, MI SAR, and Chippewa County Central Dispatch and Emergency Management
This case is still open, pending further investigation.
