Investigators in Missouri say remains that belong to a woman who has been missing for nearly a year have been found. After the remains were recovered, forensic anthropologists confirmed the body to be that of Nicole Mallatt, who was last seen on Nov. 26, 2019.
On Nov. 3, 2020, the Bates County Sheriff’s Office (Missouri) received a call about an article of clothing found near a bean field in rural southwest Bates County. The article of clothing potentially had human remains with it.
Detectives from the Bates County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control responded to the area. Once it was confirmed that the items were in fact human remains, the Detectives contacted Bates County Coroner Greg Mullinax.
Mullinax began working to coordinate with forensic anthropologists to respond and assist in recovery of the human remains. Later that night, an entire team of forensic anthropologists from Washburn University out of Topeka, Kansas arrived on scene. The team began the task of recovering the remains, finish at approximately midnight. The remains were then turned over to the coroner to conduct a forensic autopsy and for identification.
Three days later, forensic analysis confirmed the human remains to be that of Mallatt, who was last seen near her residence in Butler, Missouri on Nov. 26, 2019. She was reported missing on Nov. 29.
Mallatt's remains will now be transferred to Washburn University to be examined by a team of forensic anthropologists to determine cause of death.
Republished courtesy of the Bate's County Sheriff's Office. Photo: A bean field, unaffiliated with the crime, in Missouri at harvest time.