Missing woman found dead by sheriff's office

No foul play suspected at this time

A missing Union County woman is believed to have been discovered dead Monday morning by deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office and agents of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Bethanie Kaye Sanders, 50, was first reported missing on July 22 to the Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office by her parents. Her boyfriend reported her disappearance the following morning to the UCSO.

Capt. Jeff Stinson, chief investigator for the UCSO, said remains were discovered yesterday morning at about 10 a.m. in a wooded area off Champagnolle Road, near the Ouachita River.

“The water had gone down enough that we were able to find her today,” Stinson said.

On Friday, investigators located Sanders’ vehicle on an oil field road off Champagnolle, near a well site, in the wooded area, indicating where they should search. Flooding on July 21 and 22 made the area inaccessible until then. Evidence showed that the vehicle’s driver had attempted to move the vehicle after it got stuck, unsuccessfully.

“Once it went down enough where somebody could get back to the back, the vehicle was located there,” Stinson said. “The water had gone down just enough to get back there to where it was. From there we started searching that immediate area.”

Once the waters receded, investigators, AGFC agents and Sanders’ family members searched the woods by foot, ATV and boat, Stinson said. At this time, they believe Sanders’ vehicle got stuck and she got out; after that, Sanders’ actions are unclear. Searches held over the weekend yielded no results until this morning.

“At this time, no foul play is suspected,” Stinson said. “But we’re still not done.”

Stinson said Sanders’ remains did not have signs of trauma and no foul play is suspected at this time. He said the state crime lab will perform a death investigation, where the cause and time of death may be determined.

Union County Coroner Stormey Primm said preliminary autopsy results

should be back to the UCSO by Wednesday or Thursday. However, the final results of the autopsy will not be available for several months.

Because Sanders’ remains were found outdoors, the time of death is difficult to determine, Primm said. The UCSO will continue their investigation. Stinson said he is working to reconstruct the days between Sanders’ disappearance and discovery to try to determine how and why she died.

“We continue to investigate no matter what it looks like on the surface. You have to be sure,” Stinson said.

Caitlan Butler can be reached at 870-862-6611.