Melvern Lake in Osage County, Kansas is a popular spot amongst locals, especially during the summertime. There are many outdoor activities available for visitors, such as camping, fishing, swimming, etc. Certain parts of the park are sectioned off for overnight campers, while other parts are opened just for daytime use. On the evening of August 25th, 2017, a park ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was in a daytime use area of the park called Turkey Point when he stumbled upon something unexpected: skeletal remains of a human.
Both the Osage County police and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation were called upon to investigate the case. The human remains were badly decomposed by the time they were found, so investigators were unable to immediately identify the deceased. However, forensic testing was able to determine that the remains belonged to an adult female between the ages of 35 and 50. It was also determined that the female was a victim of homicide. She had been shot to death.
In September 2017, investigators released images of personal items that were found around the remains in hopes that anyone who recognized the items/their owner would come forward. The items included jewelry and a pair of glasses. A description of the clothing found on the woman's remains were released as well. Despite all of this, several more months would pass before an identification was finally made.
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| Source: KBI |
Investigators collaborated with the Washburn University Anthropology Department to make an identification. Finally, on July 27th, 2018, it was announced that the remains were that of Anna Marie Baldwin - a 40-year-old from Topeka. It is believed that Anna was killed sometime between April and July 2017, though investigators acknowledged that it's possible that her death could have happened as long ago as late 2016.
It turns out that Anna was never reported missing. Family members reportedly told investigators that it was not uncommon for weeks or even months to pass without any word from Anna. As such, nobody from Anna's family immediately thought that the remains belonged to her when the news broke about the body being found in August 2017.
After Anna's remains were identified, many more questions arose, such as: when did she die? What happened to her pitbull, whom she reportedly always kept by her side? And perhaps the most important question that still remains unanswered: who killed Anna Baldwin?
Throughout the investigation, authorities determined that nobody from Anna's family had heard from her since late 2016. In 2022, a report was released stating that the KBI "wants to hear from anyone who had contact with Anna Marie Baldwin in late 2016 or anytime in 2017. They hope they can retrace her contacts and movements and find her killer." Since then, though, there have not been any updates in Anna's case.
The KBI has investigative agency over this case. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Anna Baldwin, please contact authorities at 785-296-4017 or submit a tip online.
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