Missing Crystal Lake Woman's Remains Found, Police Say

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — Human remains found in North Carolina in December have been identified as a missing Crystal Lake woman last seen more than nine months ago, according to authorities.

Caitlin Hodges, 29, was reported missing on July 25 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, according to the city's police department. According to the Aware Foundation, which helps publicize missing person cases, Hodges was visiting her boyfriend in Goldsboro and was last seen on July 18 before she disappeared.

On Dec. 10, deputies with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina located human remains in the 900 block of Dollard Town Road in Goldsboro. The remains were taken to the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for analysis.

On April 8, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office received confirmation that the remains belonged to Hodges.

No charges have been filed to date and the case remains under investigation, authorities said.

Liz Burk, a close friend of Hodges, described her as a one-of-a-kind person in an interview with WRAL.

"Cait was the type of person everyone found a friend in," she said.

During the search for Hodges, Goldsboro police said a "significant amount of misinformation" regarding the case circulated on social media.

In September, Goldsboro police said they were contacted by Crystal Lake authorities, who told them Hodges had been located. The agency later received a call from a family member confirming that Hodges' sibling had given false information to Crystal Lake police.

"While we understand that the community is eager to help, we must stress that sharing unverified information can be harmful," Goldsboro police said. "Misinformation can compromise the integrity of our investigation and, in some cases, may even jeopardize the safety of others involved."

Anyone with information about the investigation should contact the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office at 919-731-1481 or the Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers at 919-735-2255 (call or text). Submit a tip using the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office App available in the Apple and Google Play stores.