CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. — Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies along with New York State Police were back searching the ‘Rails to Trails’ system Monday morning following the discovery of two human remains last week.
Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone said authorities are searching for any potential evidence or additional leads that could be used in the investigation of the remains. The office asked the public to avoid the ‘Rails to Trails’ system and closed the trails while they searched.
It’s been eight days since a hiker was on that path near Woleban Rd. in the Town of Portland and reported the first set of human remains to authorities.
Local investigating agencies have contacted the families of 3 missing women in Chautauqua County following the discovery.
“The State Police contacted us and it just brought back a lot of memories, it was a little hard, the first couple of days were a little hard,” said Corrie Anderson’s mother Vicki Acquisto. “I go to the Lord and he helps me through the whole thing.”
Corrie Anderson, 36, went missing in October of 2008. She was last seen leaving a car dealership in the City of Jamestown and when she didn't show up to pick her son up from school, her family got worried and reported her missing.
Acquisto said the last few days have just been a waiting game to find out the results of Mercyhurst University’s Forensic Anthropology Team’s identification of the remains.
“It’s been a week and we are still waiting, I talked to the State Police today and they are still waiting,” So it’s just a thing of, I just continue to wait like I always have,” she said.
“You are hopeful, but if it is her, there are a lot of questions I need, would like to have answered. I would like closure, yes, but then you have a lot of questions, what happened?"
Acquisto said the location of the remains is far from where Corrie lived. The trail is about 40 minutes from her home in the City of Jamestown but she said investigators can’t rule it out.
“They’ve (State Police) told us, that it’s probably not her,” she said, but she also said she is not giving up hope.
Deputies have obtained DNA samples from NYS State Police for 28-year-old Patricia Laemmerhirt, who went missing in April of 1976. She lived in Westfield which is less than 10 miles from the trail where remains were found.
Quattrone said they also obtained dental records for Anderson and 26-year-old Lori Bova.
“I feel anxious not knowing, it’s not just us. There are other people that are out there waiting for answers too. My heart goes out to them because I know exactly how they are feeling, “ said Acquisto.
Last Monday, authorities discovered a second set of human remains. Both remains are likely women and were found 10 yards away from one another.
The first remains are anticipated to have been there for decades whereas the second set, Quattrone said it’s estimated only a year or two.