Remains identified of missing woman; suspect arrested in Bollinger County

Bollinger County authorities have identified human remains found in the county and arrested a man in connection with the case.

The remains were identified as those of Jennifer Porzeinski, missing from Madison County, Missouri. Porzeinski had been reported as missing to the Madison County Sheriff's Office in Fredericktown, Missouri, on March 16. The information provided suggested investigators needed to speak with Kyle Byington in reference to her disappearance and possible whereabouts of Jennifer Porzeinski.

Officials with the Bollinger County Sheriff's Office along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control met with Byington at his residence located on Bollinger County Road 362 on Tuesday. While speaking with Byington, information was obtained that Jennifer Porzeinski had been with Byington at his residence prior to when she was reported as missing. A short time later, Byington was placed under arrest for multiple arrest warrants out of Bonne Terre, Missouri, for criminal charges not pertaining to this investigation. After he was placed under arrest, Byington was transported to the Bollinger County Jail.

Byington was interviewed, and a search warrant was obtained for his residence. During the search of Byington's residence, multiple items of evidence were located and collected. In a subsequent search, human remains were located on Kyle Byington's property in a shallow grave. After the remains were located, they were removed from that location and an autopsy for the remains was scheduled.

An autopsy confirmed the identity of the remains and determined that the cause of death was neck compression possibly due to strangulation.

Byington was charged with firt-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse. Byington was denied bond upon the issuance of the arrest warrant and remains in custody at the Bollinger County Jail.