Human remains found in Grant County outside Marion

GRANT COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - Noblesville Police said they traveled to Marion, Indiana after receiving information they believed to be relevant to an ongoing missing persons investigation.

Dorothy Heard, 74, went missing in June of 2011. Police have searched several locations, and even went to Wabash County last year, but found nothing.

Based on a tip they received last week, Noblesville Police said the Department of Natural Resources, the Grant and Hamilton County Sheriff's Departments, Westfield Police, and Indiana State Police searched the area of County Roads 600 North and 380 West on February 3rd, 7th and Thursday the 9th.

Around 11 a.m. Thursday, they found human remains. Authorities said they do know Heard's credit card and cell phone were used within the area, but they don't know for sure if they are her remains.

Lt. Bruce Barnes of the Noblesville Police Department said, "Back on June 13th, this area was extremely dense with vegetation, foliage and whatnot. Given that the information we've received is coming at this time of year, we knew that we might have some advantages in checking this area, given that it's not as dense as what it used to be."

Her family has been notified.

Investigators were scheduled to process the scene Thursday night and Friday. The Grant County Coroner's Office was also working to identify the body, which could take weeks.