Missing IL Woman Found Dead Across State Lines: Police

QUINCY, IL — The body of an Illinois woman who went missing over a month ago was recently found in Missouri, according to police.

The remains of Britney D. Hoffman-Kelly were found around 4 p.m. Thursday on County Road 439 in rural Marion County, police said. She had previously been last seen Dec. 14 in St. Charles, Missouri, with Chadwick Kelly, who the Muddy River News identified as her husband. Both lived in Quincy. Hoffman-Kelly was reported missing Dec. 19, according to police.

Kelly died in a police standoff Dec. 20 in La Belle, Missouri, but was considered a suspect in Hoffman-Kelly’s death, police said Dec. 26, at which time they clarified that her case was being considered a homicide investigation. Kelly had an Illinois Department of Corrections warrant and the day of the standoff he held a female against her will before she escaped with injuries, according to Lewis County authorities, who said Kelly barricaded himself in a home with a gun.

“We would like to thank the 2 individuals that came forward, which included a member of the suspects family, that began this investigation,” Quincy police said in a news release Friday.

“They shared the information that the suspect shared with them including what he had already done to Ms. Hoffman and of his intent to kill as many law enforcement officers as possible. He made clear his intention was to be killed by law enforcement to avoid going back to prison, but not before killing as many officers as possible before that would happen.”

Quincy police located the suspect and notified local authorities in Lewis County of his intentions, prompting them to approach cautiously, according to law enforcement.

Searches were conducted across four counties over the last month for Hoffman-Kelly’s remains, which were found by a landowner who saw people looking nearby and decided to check their property, according to police.

“There is no threat to the public associated with this case,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said when it announced the discovery. “The investigation is an open matter, and no additional information can be released at this time.”