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Lancaster DA Releases Details In Discovery Of Remains Believed To Be Those Of Linda Stolzfoos

The Lancaster District Attorney has shared more details about the human remains discovered while searching for Linda Stolzfoos on Wednesday.

Linda Stoltzfoos and Justo Smoker

Linda Stoltzfoos and Justo Smoker

Photo Credit: Lancaster County DA

Authorities were searching for Stolzfoos, who went missing while walking home from church on Beechdale Road in Bird-in-Hand, East Lampeter Township, last June, when remains were discovered Wednesday night, the DA's office said.

The remains were wrapped in a tarp and placed inside of a grave dug approximately 42 inches underground, the DA's office said.

The grave is located behind a railroad property by Route 41 owned by Dutch Land Inc. where the suspect Justo Smoker, 35, of Lancaster, previously worked, authorities said. 

Smoker was charged with felony kidnapping with intent to injury/cause terror and misdemeanor false imprisonment, July 11. He was denied bail and remains incarcerated at Lancaster County Prison awaiting trial.

The gender, age, dress and shoes found on the body match the description of Linda Stolztfoos.

The DA believes Stoltzfoos was killed within hours of her kidnapping in a rocky area where suspect Smoker’s car was seen, and her bra and stockings were found.

It is thought that Smoker moved her body to the Dutch Land location within days of her death.

Members of the FBI, East Lampeter Township Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police had been searching since Stolztfoos went missing but new information sent them to that area on Wednesday, the DA's office said.

The scene will be forensically processed, and the remains will be released to the Lancaster County Coroner for official identification and determination of cause and manner of death.

Law enforcement and other community groups have searched for Stoltzfoos for over 15,000 man-hours.

Officials are asking for the family to be given privacy during this difficult time.

The forensic examination of the body is scheduled for Friday.

Nearly 2,350 people had been searching for Stoltzfoos.

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