Suffolk police (Long Island, NY) identified the skeletal remains found in early May in a swamp, confirming the death of Lisa Westford, a resident who disappeared more than seven years ago.
The remains were discovered shortly after 1:30 p.m. on May 2 in a swampy area in Mastic Beach, the police said at the time. The find was made by a local group that collected trash on the beach, Newsday reported.
Officers responded to the scene near Washington Drive and, after an investigation of almost a month conducted by the county homicide squad and an autopsy by the medical examiner, it was announced on Friday that the skeletal remains are from Westford, a woman who disappeared in that area in January 2014.
The cause or the exact moment of death has not been reported, and the investigation is ongoing, NBC News reported.
Westford was reported missing on January 8, 2014, at age 51. She was last seen at her residence on Parkwood Drive, Shirley. An alert issued then said that he suffered from schizophrenia and could be suicidal. “She may be confused and disoriented as a result of her condition, requires medication and may need medical attention,” Daily Voice recalled.
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