Crime & Safety

Police Ask for Help in Woodbridge Death Investigation

Woodbridge woman missing since October 2004 has been identified.

Prince William County Police are looking for help in a death investigation regarding Linda Mae Archer, a Woodbridge woman, that was missing since 2004.

Archer's family had reported to Prince William County police in January of 2005 that Archer had been missing since October of 2004. 

Police then filed a missing persons report but their investigation yielded no known locations or evidence of foul play. Police said that they found no reason to classify Archer's disappearance as suspicious. Archer, who lived at the 3600 block of Elm Farm Road in Woodbridge, was 58 at the time of her disappearance.

Find out what's happening in Woodbridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On June 2, 2010 police responded to a report of bones found in the area of Minnieville Road and Prince William Parkway, not far from Elm Farm Road. 

A Prince William Police Search and Rescue operation started on that day and skeletal remains were located. The remains were sent to the Virginia State Lab for a DNA comparison against DNA profiles of Archer's possible relatives.

Find out what's happening in Woodbridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Now, in March 2011, police have reported that the DNA analysis has a match for Linda Archer from a relative. Police are continuing the investigation into a cause of death.

The skeletal remains were identified as Linda Mae Archer. Archer was described as a white female, 5-feet and six-inches-tall, 85 pounds with black hair and blue eyes. 

Investigators are now making an effort to determine the cause of Archer's death. According to past bulletins police released, Archer was known to associate with homeless people in the Woodbridge area.

On Oct. 5, 2007, Archer's brother, John, posted on someoneismissing.com that he was desperately seeking his sister. He could not be immediately reached for comment.

"Any knowledge of her whereabouts is appreciated. John Archer loves you!" he wrote.

 

Anyone with information relating to this case is urged to call Detective P.J. Masterson at 703-792-7279 or Crime Solvers at 703-670-3700 or 1-866-411-TIPS. You don’t have to give your name, just the information. You could earn up to a $1,000 cash reward.


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