Kara Kopetsky update: Search continues where bones found, but it’s likely to end soon

Authorities continued to search Friday for evidence at a Cass County quarry where two skulls and other human remains were found earlier this week.

Investigators concentrated on a 2-acre site within the wooded search area south of Belton, according to Capt. Kevin Tieman of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The search ended for the day around 2 p.m.

Tieman said in a statement that the site, near 233rd Street and Missouri Y, was still considered a crime scene and access would continue to be limited. Investigators will be back in the area Saturday morning to wrap up the search.

One set of bones has been identified as those of Jessica Runions, a 21-year-old Raymore woman missing since Sept. 8. The Runions family and that of Kara Kopetsky, a Belton teenager missing since 2007, learned Monday that the remains had been discovered by a mushroom hunter.

Kopetsky’s family continues to wait for word about identification.

Both women have been linked to Kylr Yust, 28, who has not been charged with either disappearance but is in jail awaiting trial on a charge that he set fire to Runions’ vehicle.

Authorities said Thursday they had found “several pieces of evidence” at the search site.

Involved in the search Friday were mainly forensic and crime scene investigators with the FBI, Kansas City Crime Lab and Jackson County medical examiner. Cass County detectives, Belton police and Kansas City police were also on the scene.

This story was originally published April 7, 2017 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Kara Kopetsky update: Search continues where bones found, but it’s likely to end soon."