How Did Linda Mae Archer Die?

Prince William County police have identified that the human bones discovered off Minnieville Road and Prince William Parkway last summer are those of a woman who was reported missing six years ago.

Now investigators are trying to figure out how Linda Mae Archer, 58, died.

A police report released today states that in January 2005 police responded to Elm Farm Road after Archer's family reported that the small-framed, long-hair, blue eyed Archer hadn't been seen since October 2004. Investigators for years could not determine any places Archer may have gone and they found no evidence of foul play or any reason to classify the case that way.

On June 2, 2010, investigator got a huge break in the case when someone reported finding human bones off Minnieville Road and Prince William Parkway. A search and rescue operation was initiated and skeletal remains were found on the land. Those bones were sent to the Virginia State Lab for a DNA comparison test against the DNA profiles of Archer's relatives.

This month the investigators received a report from the lab that the remains do match for Archer.

Investigators are now making an effort to determine the cause of Archer's death. According to past bulletins police released, Archer was known to associate with homeless people in the Woodbridge area.

On Oct. 5, 2007, Archer's brother, John, posted on someoneismissing.com that he was desperately seeking his sister. He could not be immediately reached for comment.

"Any knowledge of her whereabouts is appreciated. John Archer loves you!" he wrote.