Emily Strite, 34, went missing in April 2024. After six months, a homeowner found her remains in Frissel Road, De Soto, Missouri. The medical staff was able to identify Strite's body by analyzing and comparing her medical and dental records. Her cause of death remains undetermined.
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In April 2024, Strite was staying with a Missouri friend. On the morning of April 12, she spoke for the last time with Charlyn McClain, her mother. "It was in the morning," McClain told Dateline. "And we only talked for about a minute, and she said, 'I'm going to go see my kids.'."
However, Steve, the father, called McClain one week later. He had no idea about Strite's whereabouts. Steve's call was a sign of alarm for McClain.
"He has never called me and questioned anything about Emily or to tell me anything about Emily," said McClain. "That's why I panicked when he called me because he had never done that before."
"I had no knowledge of emily [sic] wanting to see her kids April 12th because she didn't call me!" said Steve Fults, who describes Strite as a "strong courageous woman and a great mom". On April 20, 2024, McClain filed a missing person's report.
"Emily Strite was reported missing on April 20, 2024, by her mother," reads a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office statement. "Due to Emily's mother residing within the jurisdiction of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, our deputies were dispatched to and completed the missing person's report."
Emily Strite, Found
Just eight days after the statement, deputies were able to find Strite's body in De Soto, Missouri. "On September 28th, Deputies responded to a wooded area near the 4100 block of Frissell Road in De Soto for a report of human skeletal remains found by the property owner," reads a statement shared on Facebook.
"Through comparison to medical and dental records, investigators with the Regional Medical Examiner's Office determined that the remains are those of Emily Strite," continues the statement.
While investigations regarding her death are ongoing, finding Strite's body is just the first step toward finding the truth about what happened.
Amanda Bauman, one of Strite's friends, said the following: "We pray now that we get answers and whoever hurt her is brought to justice." She continued: "She literally lit up a room every chance that she got." Christi Bauman, another friend of Strite's remembers her fondly. "Even if she was down, she was going to lift you up," she said.
