Police have confirmed that human rema!ns discovered in a freezer at a Colorado home belong to a 16-year-old girl. In January of this year, body parts were found in a freezer at a property in Grand Junction, Colorado, leading to a police investigation. On October 11, authorities announced that the rema!ns were identified as those of a teenager last known to be alive almost 20 years ago, but who was never officially reported missing.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a ‘suspicious incident’ on January 12. Upon arrival at the 2900 block of Pinyon Avenue, deputies found ‘the head and hands of a human had been discovered in a freezer by someone who had come to claim the free appliance offered by the new owner of the recently sold home.’
An investigation commenced, and nine months later, the Mesa County Coroner’s Office identified the victim. DNA testing confirmed the remains belong to Amanda Leariel Overstreet.
The Sheriff’s Office stated, “Amanda is believed to have been around 16 years old at the time of her disappearance. Overstreet has not been seen or heard from since April 2005. Amanda Overstreet was the biological daughter of the home’s former owner. The circumstances of her disappearance are still under investigation, with ongoing forensic testing of evidence. There is no record that Amanda Overstreet was ever reported missing.”
The coroner’s office added on Facebook that ‘the remainder’ of Amanda’s body has yet to be ‘recovered,’ and the case is still ‘an active investigation’ as a hom!cide, with no additional details being released at this time. Mesa County Sheriff’s Office public information officer, Wendy Likes, has urged people to allow authorities ‘some time and grace to figure out what happened.’
She told CPR News, “We still have a lot of forensic testing to complete on evidence and numerous interviews to conduct. We want to do the best for her. A child went missing, and there’s no record that anyone reported her, which is very sad. We want to ensure a thorough investigation to get all the details and facts straight.”
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office emphasized that the home at the center of the case is ‘now under new ownership completely unrelated to the previous case,’ and they urge people to ‘respect the current owner and their neighbor’s privacy and refrain from driving by the home or taking photos.’