KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. - West Virginia authorities have discovered the remains of a missing teenager and are investigating the case as a homicide.
Dig deeper:
Authorities in Kanawha County have confirmed that human remains discovered at a property in Big Chimney belong to missing 16-year-old Shayln Shantel Harvey, according to the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
According to WSAZ, Harvey had been missing since May 4.
Investigators said the remains were found during the execution of a search warrant at a residence on Offutt Drive. The remains were then transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for examination and identification.
An autopsy conducted Tuesday morning positively identified the remains as Harvey’s.
What we don't know:
Officials have not released the cause of death, pending the completion of the medical examiner’s findings.
What's next:
The sheriff’s office said the case is now being investigated as a homicide and remains active and ongoing. Detectives continue to conduct interviews, process evidence, and pursue leads connected to the investigation.
What you can do:
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the case to contact the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at 304-357-0556 or submit a tip through the department’s website at www.kanawhasheriff.us
The Source: The information in this story came from the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, which released details about the investigation and confirmed the identification of Shayln Shantel Harvey’s remains. This story was reported from Los Angeles.