Remains of Missing Woman Emily Strite Found in Missouri Woods After Five-Month Search

Authorities announced that a woman’s remains were found in the woods of eastern Missouri over the weekend, five months after her disappearance.

Emily Strite, 33, was last seen in early April in Imperial, a suburb of St. Louis near De Soto. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, she left the area on foot seemingly of her own accord. She was reported missing on April 20, 2023.

Law enforcement had sought the public’s help as they began investigating Strite’s case. In an April bulletin, the sheriff’s office described her as 5 feet 5 inches tall and noted that she was wearing jeans and a dark blue hoodie at the time of her disappearance. This bulletin included images of Strite along with her description.

On Saturday, the owner of a property in De Soto discovered Strite’s body, which was confirmed by Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak during a press briefing on Tuesday. Deputies responded to a call from the property owner reporting the discovery of human skeletal remains in a wooded area. The regional medical examiner’s office later confirmed the identity of the remains using medical and dental records.

As of Tuesday, the cause of Strite’s death remains unknown, and Sheriff Marshak stated that investigators are trying to determine how her body ended up at the location where it was found. Authorities are encouraging anyone with information about the case to contact the detective bureau at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Charlyn McClain, Strite’s mother, shared with NBC’s Dateline that she last spoke to her daughter on April 12. McClain mentioned that Strite was staying with a friend in De Soto, and she initially believed her daughter had traveled to Cahokia, Illinois, to visit her children. However, about a week later, the children’s father, Steve Fults, called McClain to ask if she had heard from Strite. McClain expressed her concern, noting that this was unusual behavior for Fults.