Human remains found in search for missing Kan. woman Jerry McConnell

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Human remains were found on Wednesday in the search for Jerry McConnell, an Overland Park woman who went missing in Cowley County last month.

The search focused on the area of 333rd Road, where property belonging to McConnell was found. Human remains were also found approximately one mile from where her abandoned vehicle was previously found.

An autopsy is pending to confirm the identity of the remains.

This discovery follows weeks of intensive search operations. On May 20, a vehicle associated with a Silver Alert issued from Overland Park was found on private property in a rural area near the 4000 block of 327th Road.

After the discovery of McConnell’s vehicle, a multi-agency search effort began. The search area covered about 15,000 acres.

McConnell, 81, was last seen on May 14 in Harrisonville, Mo., and was reported missing on May 17, three days before her abandoned vehicle was found in Cowley County.

Last week, the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office said no further searches were planned for McConnell. Sheriff David Falletti previously said that the search for McConnell was likely a recovery effort due to the lack of food and water in the area.

Despite daily search efforts since the vehicle was located, no further leads were developed until the discovery on June 11.