Landscaper finds human remains of woman whose family hadn’t seen her in 50 years, reports say

(Gray News) - A woman whose skeletal remains were found by a landscaper near a wooded area in Florida in 2023 has been identified.

The human remains discovered in May 2023 were identified as Regina Hess, who was born on Aug. 22, 1948, according to a press release.

“But identifying Regina is only part of the case,” the department said in a public alert. “Detectives still need information about her life in the years before her death and the circumstances surrounding her death.”

The case began in 2023, when a worker at a landscaping nursery found the remains.

The remains, as well as the woman’s gray tank top and black pants, were believed to have been at the scene for a long period of time, People reported.

Over the years, searches of DNA profiles and the public release of a rendering of the unidentified woman still provided no positive identification.

By 2026, forensic investigative genetic genealogy resulted in leads to a person believed to have been the victim’s deceased sister. Through these leads, the woman was confirmed to be Hess, who was 74 when her remains were discovered, officials said.

Investigators learned that Hess had been estranged from her family for many years.

Family members reported they had last spoken with her nearly 10 to 12 years ago and had not seen her in more than 50 years,” People reported.

Hess’ death is considered suspicious, and detectives are seeking out details to determine what happened.