Dig finds no body (Saturday, November 25, 2006) Denise Morris

The Marian Hurley disappearance goes unsolved after a

backyard dig turned up nothing but earthworms.

But authorities are more determined than ever to find

out what happened to the 45-year-old wife and mother of two

little girls.

“This case will be open as long as I am in office,” sheriff

Gene Mayo said.

Investigators worked two days this week to

locate Hurley’s remains in the back

yard of the family’s former home in de-

Cordova Bend Estates.

The Weatherford College forensics team, led by Dr. Susan

Wallace, stood by waiting to conduct the delicate excavation.

Shortly after the woman went missing in 1999, the case

was closed because then-sheriff Allen

Hardin believed she was alive.

Now-sheriff Mayo believes otherwise.

“I know now from talking to people who knew her that

she wouldn’t leave her kids,” Mayo said.

In terms of pursuing the investigation, he said he’s “not

ruling out anything.” The next step is to get a DNA sample

from first-degree relatives – all of whom live out of state.

“I don’t know why it wasn’t done before now,” Mayo said.

“But we need to enter the DNA into the national database.”

DNA-matching technology is able to positively identify not

only human remains, but invisible traces of

evidence indicating where a person has

been. The technology has enabled authorities

to crack cold cases that were otherwise

unsolvable.

The dig was conducted because some

neighbors said the patio was poured soon

after the woman disappeared, officials said.

“We thought it prudent to look, because

of the reports,” Texas Ranger Joe Hutson

said.

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CASE UPDATE -- 25-NOV-2006

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