Investigators Make Gruesome Discovery: Human Remains Found In Florida

After digging up a "suspected burial site" earlier this week, Florida investigators discovered human remains that they believe belonged to a teenager who went missing 20 years ago.

16-year-old Autumn Lane McClure was last seen on May 10, 2004 after her boyfriend dropped her off at Volusia Mall. The case went cold as they never discovered a body or found out where McClure could have gone.

Until now...

On Wednesday, investigators dug up what they believed was a "suspect burial site" in the Ormond Beach area, which is where McClure was from, where they discovered human remains.

After further examination, police believe the body belonged to Autumn Lane McClure. They were able to recover 99% of the remains.

“Sheriff’s detectives continued to investigate the case in the nearly 20 years that followed, obtaining DNA from family members, re-interviewing friends and possible witnesses, and identifying a person of interest in 2021,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “That person died in May 2022, but the investigation continued.”

The remains are believed to be attached to a case from nearly 20 years ago, which all began after a phone call was placed on May 10, 2004 from McClure's grandmother, who wanted to place a missing person report for her 16-year-old granddaughter. At the time, detectives spoke to her then-boyfriend, who said he had dropped McClure off at the Volusia Mall and didn't hear from her again. That was the last time McClure was seen alive.

Despite never seeing her after that moment, she seemingly stayed alive for a few more days as she "called [her grandmother] from a 312-area code" and her grandmother received letters from McClure postmarked Melbourne, Florida.

However, despite the phone calls and letters, detectives could not find McClure and the case went quiet.

The case picked back up a few months later when the sheriff's office found evidence that McClure was staying at a house with two people — Brian Donley and Jessica Freeman -- who said they were co-workers of McClure's as they all worked at a Winn-Dixie supermarket.

Detectives visited the couple's home, but by the time they got there, the couple claimed that while McClure had stayed with them for a few days, she eventually left, and they did not know where she was headed.

The case ended up going cold again, but detectives continued to interview family and friends to try and see if they missed anything -- that is when the boyfriend admitted to lying to the police. 12 years after McClure disappeared, her boyfriend said he didn't actually drop her off at the mall and, instead, dropped McClure off at the Seabreeze Bridge where he saw her get into a car with Freeman.

Then, in 2021, detectives received a tip from someone named Chris Miller, who claimed Freeman and Donley were involved in McClure's disappearance. However, Donley died the following year on May 26, 2022.

Of course, the discovery was not how detectives wanted the case to close, according to Sheriff Mike Chitwood.

“Not the result anyone hoped for in 2004 or ever since, but I am very proud of the work that went into this discovery 20 years later,” Chitwood shared of the discovery. “At the very least we can say we never gave up on Autumn McClure’s case. Prayers and condolences to the family tonight.”

While investigators believe the remains belong to McClure, the medical examiner's office will be able to confirm that the remains are McClure's after they complete the autopsy.

However, the cause of death may be more difficult to determine due to the condition the body is in.

Unfortunately, because the person of interest passed away in 2022, "he will never face [justice]," Chitwood said.

"The sad part is he'll never face [justice] in this world for the evil that he perpetrated, but sure enough, I'm hoping that God, when he took his last breath, on May 26 of 2022, that maybe he had a vision of where ... he was headed."