Remains found near Poplar Bluff likely those of elderly woman missing since 2003

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Clothing and personal items found with the human remains in an area east of Poplar Bluff have led authorities to believe they belong to an elderly woman who has been missing for more than five years.

On Wednesday, the driver of an all-terrain vehicle reported he found possible human remains in a wooded area in the 1700 block of Route B, Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs said. On Thursday, local and federal authorities excavated the site and found "certain personal items, as well as clothing, to indicate to us, with great certainty, this was Mary Grobe's remains," Dobbs said.

Butler County Coroner Jim Akers agreed but said identification will not be positive until DNA testing is completed. Akers said the remains are being sent to the FBI's "state-of-the art, premier" laboratory at Quantico, Va., for DNA analysis.

"The family has already submitted DNA for comparison," Akers said.

Akers said it will take several months to get results back from the FBI's lab.

The cause of death is still undetermined, Akers said. The condition of the remains is "consistent with multiple years of degradation," he said.

Grobe, 74, was last seen at about 6 p.m. Sept. 27, 2003, at her residence at 1557 Route B by her granddaughter, Amy Bridgewater.

Two days later, concerned family members entered Grobe's residence and found her and her dog missing. Her purse and medication were still inside; however, an overnight bag and some winter clothing were missing.

Since her disappearance, Grobe's dog returned home in good condition a few days later and authorities have conducted extensive searches and followed up on numerous leads with no success.

The remains, Dobbs said, were found on another individual's property, where the ATV operator was "apparently blazing new trails."

The terrain, according to Dobbs, wasn't even fit for walking.

Dobbs said the site was about 400 feet from Grobe's house.

The remains, according to Dobbs, were at least "partially submerged in the soil; however it is a very low-lying area that is prone to flooding. One of the things we need to get answered is what impact last year's record flooding had on the scene."