A year after human remains were discovered in a gravel pit near Searsburg, DNA analysis has revealed the identity of the victim.
The death of Jessica Hildenbrandt, 43, of Ballston Spa, New York, was ruled a homicide by the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, though her cause of death has yet to be determined.
Despite Hildenbrandt’s New York residence, police report that she “spent considerable time in Vermont,” especially in and around Bennington. Hildenbrandt appears to have kept two Facebook pages, which show an ex-boyfriend of hers had lived in Bennington.
A death certificate in the case notes that Hildenbrandt was an office worker in the automotive industry.
Hildenbrandt’s last Facebook post was on July 7, 2019. Police report that she was last in touch with her family in July 2019.
In September 2019, police were contacted after someone reported finding a human jawbone in a gravel pit on Somerset Road. An investigation turned up additional human remains at the site.
Vermont State Police are continuing to investigate the death, but report that “police do not believe there is a threat to public safety” at this time.
Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact Detective Sgt. Samuel Truex at the state police Shaftsbury barracks at 802-442-5421 or by email at samuel.truex@vermont.gov.
Police hope to speak with anyone who thinks they might have seen Hildenbrandt in the summer of 2019.
