DNA evidence has identified the remains of two people whose deaths were under investigation by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department.
Pike County Chief Deputy Steve Rushing said remains found in Higgins Drive area during a search on Feb. 10 were identified through DNA as those of Ruby Wells, a 72-year-old Alzheimer’s patient who disappeared July 22, 2007, from her home at 1109 Moore Avenue.
Partial remains were found in November, and were identified as belonging to Wells in December after a search of the same area.
The February search that found the additional remains was conducted using cadaver dogs from the Gulfport Police Department, McComb police, Pike County sheriff’s deputies and McComb firefighters.
In the second case, Rushing said DNA evidence identified the body of a man found in a burned car on Feb. 11 as Henry Booth, 36, of Houston, Texas, who was reported missing on Feb. 3 by family members in Kentwood, La.
Booth’s car was found burning on Feb. 4 on Emerald State Line Road.
Booth’s body was discovered a week later when Pike County and Tangipahoa Parish, La. sheriff’s investigators went to look at the car, which had been towed to a McComb wrecker yard.
The body was burned beyond recognition.
Foul play is not suspected in Booth’s death, but authorities are awaiting a final report from the state Medical Examiner’s office in Jackson.
