Missing woman's remains identified 2 years after disappearance

TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the Polk County Sheriff's Office have positively identified the remains of a woman who went missing on May 21, 2021.

According to deputies, PCSO found human remains on September 25, 2023. Detectives received confirmation in the past week that the remains were Kelly Vazquez.

Officials say detectives were able to notify Vazquez's family this week. 

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"After years of committed investigation, we bring closure to a chapter of uncertainty that has haunted this community since 2021," said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a statement. "Through collaborative efforts, we have located the remains of Kelly Vasquez, and we hope that in this discovery, we've given her family a measure of closure amidst their profound grief."

The investigation is ongoing and detectives are working with the Polk County Sheriff's Office to determine a cause of death.

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