Missing Person Search Leads to Homicide Investigation in Hurdland
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By Echo Menges
Law enforcement officials from agencies across the state and the FBI descended on a Hurdland residence last week in search of a missing person.
According to Knox County Sheriff Carl Knoche, investigators from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, the Kirksville Police Department, the North Missouri Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the FBI served a search warrant at the residence of Jessica Rudd, 409 W. State St. in Hurdland, on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
During the search of the residence, a body was located, and the case has become a homicide investigation.
As of press time Monday, Knoche had not released details about the identity of the person found inside the residence or the circumstances surrounding the death.
An autopsy of the deceased was conducted at the Boone County Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
The identity of the person is expected to be released after family members are notified.
Tuesday night, Knoche told The Edina Sentinel, “Upon execution of the search warrant, we did locate human remains inside of the home. The remains are of one person.”
Knoche also told The Edina Sentinel, “There is no threat to the public at this time.”
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation and asks anyone with information about the homicide to contact the department at (660) 397-2186.
Statement from the Kirksville Police Department
The Kirksville Police Department released the following statement via its Facebook page Tuesday evening:
The Kirksville Police Department would like to share some information regarding an ongoing investigation that led to the discovery of human remains.
In February 2023, detectives with the Kirksville Police Department received a vague third-party report of a possible homicide at an “abandoned house near Kirksville.” Detectives conducted several interviews but were unable to obtain enough details to locate the house.
On Jan. 2, 2024, the Kirksville Police Department received a missing persons report for the possible homicide victim. Patrol officers made several unsuccessful attempts to locate this person in Kirksville, and detectives took over the investigation.
They determined the missing person and the possible homicide victim were the same. Additional research located a phone possibly belonging to the victim in the Boone County Sheriff’s Department’s possession. Detectives retrieved the phone and, through the Kirksville Regional Computer Crimes Unit of the Kirksville Police Department, conducted a forensic download. Data retrieved from this phone led to a residence in Hurdland, Mo.
Detectives contacted the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, which joined the investigation, bringing valuable information and logistical support. Kirksville detectives coordinated with the Knox County Sheriff’s Department on a search warrant for the Hurdland residence on Feb. 25, 2025, which resulted in the recovery of human remains.
The victim’s name is being withheld until the forensic examination is complete and the family is notified.
The Kirksville Police Department expressed gratitude to the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, North Missouri Drug Task Force, Lewis County Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.
“This is a great example of many regional law enforcement agencies working together to solve a terrible crime and bring some closure to a family. I am so proud of the outstanding work of our detectives and thankful for the valuable assistance of all the other agencies involved,” said Kirksville Police Chief Scott Williamson.
Anyone with additional information on this case should contact the Kirksville Police Department or the Knox County Sheriff’s Department.
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