FBI, police discover skeletal remains in Elyria

ELYRIA — Investigators uncovered skeletal remains they believe are human in a wooded area where they have focused their search for Tierra Bryant, a woman who has been missing for more than two years.

The FBI, Middleburg Heights police and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office resumed a search about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday after several previous attempts to find Bryant’s body came up short, FBI spokeswoman Vicki Anderson said.

Lorain County Coroner Dr. Stephen Evans confirmed about 3 p.m. that he believes the remains are human. The announcement came after some initial skepticism from Middleburg Heights Police Chief John Maddox, who earlier told reporters that investigators were not sure whether the discovery consisted of human remains.

Evans couldn’t say if the remains are male or female. DNA testing will need to take place to determine if it is Bryant’s body, he said. If investigators find a skull with teeth, they could look at dental records, he added.

Investigators located the remains in a hole about four feet deep.

Rashad Hunt, who also goes by Rashan, was charged on July 5 with voluntary manslaughter, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, offense against a human corpse and obstructing official business in the 2015 disappearance and presumed killing of Bryant.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley has said that Hunt confessed to killing Bryant.