MAYVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — On Thursday morning, the Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone announced new information uncovered in their investigation into human remains found in the Town of Portland late last month.
Investigators have identified the second set of remains as Marquita Mull of Buffalo. Dental records were used to confirm the identification.
Mull was reported missing on July 18, and was last seen on June 25th in the Broadway-Fillmore area of Buffalo. Investigators say Mull had no known connection to Chautauqua County and believe that she was taken to that location.
The first set of remains has still not been identified. They were found along a trail off Woleben Road on Sunday, September 26 a hiker on the Rails to Trails path who was searching for her missing keys. The second set of remains, now identified as Marquita Mull, was found during the investigation that followed the discovery of the first set.
On Monday, Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone told 7 Eyewitness News reporter Hannah Buehler it could take more than a month to fully identify the remains. Quattrone indicated that investigators suspect foul play was involved in the case. The unidentified set of remains is likely female and decades old.
There are three ongoing missing person cases in Chautauqua County: Patricia Laemmerhirt, who went missing in 1976, along with two more recent cases, Lori Bova who disappeared in 1997, and Corrie Anderson, who was reported missing in 2008.
Sheriff Quattrone says dental records have been used to determine the remains do not belong to Bova or Anderson. However, Laemmerhirt has not been ruled out. investigators say they will send a portion of the remains to a New York City crime lab for DNA testing to compare to Laemmerhirt. All information is being entered into national databases to determine a potential victim.
The remains were found about 30 miles and 45 minutes away from where Corrie Anderson’s van was recovered. Anderson's mother, Vicki Acquisto, says she was notified by authorities of the discovery on September 27. As of Thursday morning, Anderson's remains have still not been located.
Investigators say they are now working to determine how Marquita Mull died.
"I believe because of the manner of disposal that there's foul play involved," Sheriff Quattrone said. Quattrone added that information on a WNY missing persons Facebook page indicated she may have had ties to the Angola area.
Anyone with information on Mull's disappearance or any other missing person case should contact the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office at 716-753-2131.
