Florida authorities on Wednesday discovered a body believed to be that of a teenage boy who disappeared nearly 20 years ago.
Autumn Lane McClure, 16, of Ormond Beach, was last seen on May 10, 2004, when her boyfriend dropped her off at Volusia Mall. Statement from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.
On Wednesday afternoon, investigators dug up a “possible burial site” in the Ormond Beach area and made the horrifying discovery, the statement said.
“Sheriff's detectives continued to investigate the case for nearly 20 years, obtaining DNA from family members, re-interviewing friends and potential witnesses, and identifying persons of interest in 2021,” the sheriff's office said in a statement. have been identified,” he said. “The person died in May 2022, but the investigation continued.”
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a post Wednesday that the possibility of finding the body of a Mainland High School student was not the conclusion detectives had hoped for. X. He added that investigations have shown that law enforcement agencies care about victims, whether it's a recent incident or one that goes back decades.
“Although it was not the result that anyone had hoped for in 2004 or since, 20 years later I am extremely proud of the work that went into this discovery,” Chitwood wrote. “At least we can say we have never given up on Autumn McClure's case. Our prayers and condolences go out to her family tonight.”
Chitwood told reporters at a news conference Thursday that investigators were able to recover “99.9 percent” of the teen's body. Chitwood said the medical examiner's office should soon conclude that the body was indeed McClure's. However, he added that it may be difficult to determine the cause of her death.
As for those concerned with the teen's death, “The sad thing is that he will never face this life again because of the evil things he did,” Chitwood said. “But certainly, I hope that when God took his last breath on May 26, 2022, God may have had a foresight of where he was going.”
