After releasing information about personal items found with one of two female bodies found in a field south of Aberdeen on Sept. 15, state police say they have a lead on the identity of one of the women.
Sgt. Tina Becker said Thursday that information released to the media earlier this week led a Harford County resident, whom Becker would not identify, to come forward with information regarding a female relative who has not been seen or heard from since May.
“The family member kept contact with her once in a blue moon,” Becker said.
She said the woman was never reported missing. She would not release the woman?s name because no positive identification of the two bodies has yet been made. Police are awaiting the results of DNA tests on the bodies.
Lt. Jim Eyler, spokesman for the Harford County Sheriff?s Office, said DNA tests typically take about six weeks to be completed.
The sheriff’s office has been working with the state police due to a possible connection between the bodies found Sept. 15 and two other women?s bodies found in June.
Sheila Ann Turner, 42, of Aberdeen, was found dead on June 2 in a field not far from where the two unidentified women were located. State police found the body of Lillian Phelps, 43, of Elkton, on June 14 off of Oakington Road in Havre de Grace.
As to the second body found on Sept. 15, Becker backpedaled on a statement she provided to The Examiner on Tuesday regarding state police tracking down all missing women in Harford and surrounding counties.
“We believe she may be a local [Harford] girl that was reported missing,” Becker said.
Becker speculated the person responsible for the death was local to Harford County as well.
“If you don?t know an area, you?re not going to wind your way around, looking for a place to dump a body,” Becker said.
Harford County State?s Attorney Joseph Cassilly has told The Examiner he expects a grand jury to indict a suspect?already in police custody?by the end of next week.
Missing Persons
As of Thursday, police were still seeking four missing women, according to information provided by the sheriff?s office. They are:
» Jennifer Lynn Blankenship, 25, from Aberdeen, last seen on June 4.
» Cynthia Ann Briggs, 58, of Baltimore, last seen in Darlington on Sept. 17, 2004.
» Monica Patricia Gonsalves, 24, of Edgewood, last seen on May 18.
» Erika Nicole Shaffner, 17, of Darlington, last seen on Sept. 25.
