The case of a missing elderly woman in Pike County is now a considered a homicide investigation.
WSYX is reporting that very small fragments were discovered by forensic examiners in a backyard near Latham Wednesday, which will be tested to see if they're human, according to the sheriff's office.
They are now considering 77-year-old Bernice Hayslip as a homicide victim and not just a missing person.
Authorities said Hayslip moved from Adams County to Pike County to be with family as she recovered from a medical procedure in the summer of 2016. Despite not being seen since then, they said someone was still cashing her retirement and social security checks.
Hayslip's daughter, 44-year old Tracy Sowards, was arrested on misuse of stolen credit cards.
Her ex-boyfriend, Johnny Kerns, is also locked up on felony charges. They've been deemed prime suspects by the sheriff's office.