Investigators say remains found of missing woman Courtney Townsend
May 28, 2024, 4:53 PM | Updated: 5:04 pm
Human remains found in the Duck Creek Ridge area of Kane County are believed to be those of Courtney Townsend. Townsend was reported missing by her mother on December 2, 2023.(St. George Police Department)
(St. George Police Department)
KANAB, Utah — Human remains found in the Duck Creek Ridge area of Kane County are believed to be those of Courtney Townsend who was reported missing by her mother on Dec. 2, 2023.
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office said someone contacted them on Monday about clothing they’d found on the side of a road while riding an ATV in the Duck Creek Ridge area.
According to Kane County officials, the ATV rider contacted them because they were familiar with the Townsend case.
After an investigation, detectives and other Kane County officials said that human remains were found with the clothing reported by the ATV rider. When Kane County Search and Rescue members joined the investigation, their dog, trained to locate human remains, found more evidence near the clothing.
“Evidence on scene leads investigators to believe the remains are those of Courtney Townsend,” said Allen Aldredge of the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.
The story of missing Courtney Townsend began in November 2023
Townsend’s mother told the St. George Police Department that her daughter’s vehicle was stolen on Nov. 16, 2023. That vehicle was found in Kane County on Nov. 19, 2023, in the forest south of Duck Creek.
According to Kane County officials, the vehicle “appeared to be stuck on some rocks and had burned.” At that point, the vehicle was traced to Townsend’s mother who filed a missing person’s report with St. George police on Dec. 2, 2023.
Kane County officials said their search was impacted by snowfall and said a ground search wasn’t possible until early May.
The investigation continues by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, St. George Police and the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office.
