Remains Found Near Wawasee Identified

SYRACUSE - Authorities have identified the human remains found Thursday near Syracuse.

According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, the skeleton was identified as Crystal Gayle Homister, 22, of Elkhart. A forensic odontologist in Fort Wayne made the identification through dental records.

Local officials said a telephone call from a Ligonier man led them to focus on Homister. "It was pure luck," said Detective Sgt. Tom Brindle of the KCSD. "We could have gone through hundreds of missing persons and never made an I.D. ... This might have never been solved."

Brindle said the caller, a friend of Homister's, told him that Homister was a missing person and that Noble County authorities were investigating the case. Noble County police didnt have Homister listed as a missing person, but a computer check of Homister's personal information confirmed that she was reported missing in Elkhart.

Elkhart Police Department officials told local police that Homister was reported missing Jan. 7 by family members concerned with her disappearance. Area television reports have said that Homister's family felt foul play was an issue since she first was reported missing. Also, it was reported that Homister was supposed to testify in an armed robbery trial about the time she disappeared.

Homister's remains were found about 6:30 p.m. Thursday by mushroom hunters in a wooded area off CR 1050N on the east side of Lake Wawasee. The area was sealed off until investigators arrived on the scene Friday morning, at which time recovery of the remains took place.

A team of forensic anthropologists from the University of Indianapolis worked with local officials during the recovery, which took about 6-1/2 hours. Also at the scene were representatives of the Indiana State Police and the Kosciusko County coroner and prosecutor offices.

Additional examinations are being conducted by a forensic pathologist and a forensic anthropologist. The cause of death is undetermined at this time and officials said it could be several weeks before all test results are available. The case is being investigated as a possible homicide.

Elkhart and Kosciusko County authorities were scheduled to meet this morning and are conducting a joint investigation at this time. Depending on what conclusions are made, the jurisdiction for the case will likely be turned over to one county or the other, police said.