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NEED TO KNOW
- The remains of a woman who went missing in Colorado over two years ago have been found
- Edna Quintana, 55, disappeared while rock hunting in the state in May 2023
- The woman’s remains were discovered by a hiker in a remote area, authorities said
The remains of a woman who went missing over two years ago in Colorado have been found.
Edna Quintana initially went missing around May 3, 2023, while rock hunting, the Saguache County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said in a statement on Friday, June 27. She was 55 years old at the time.
On June 17, a hiker discovered her remains in a remote area of the county and “immediately contacted” police, per the SCSO. Deputies promptly secured the scene and returned the following day with agents and analysts from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as well as two cadaver dog teams from Colorado Forensic Canines, authorities added.
The remains were then “carefully recovered” and transported to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office for examination. There, they were positively identified as Quintana on June 25, police said.
Authorities eventually reached out to Quintana’s family “to inform them of the identification and to offer their support.”
Saguache County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
The SCSO said it is currently “working closely with CBI to determine the circumstances surrounding Ms. Quintana’s death.” Her cause of death, authorities added, is still under investigation.
PEOPLE reached out to the SCSO for comment on Saturday, June 28, but did not receive an immediate response.
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In an email to PEOPLE, the CBI confirmed that an investigation into Quintana’s death is ongoing. The organization said that when the search for Quintana began in 2023, it led to the discovery of the remains of two other people.
The remains of 26-year-old James Montoya were found in Saguache County that July, and authorities later learned that Montoya was murdered in the Denver area, per the CBI.
Then, in September 2023, CBI agents discovered the remains of 49-year-old Suzanne Morphew near the town of Moffat. Her husband, Barry Morphew, was indicted this year on June 18 on a first-degree murder charge, according to the organization.
Authorities are now urging anyone with information related to Quintana’s disappearance or death to contact them.
