Remains of man missing since 2020 found in Wayne County

WAYNE COUNTY, Mo. (KBSI) – The remains of a man who had been missing since May of 2020 were recently found in Wayne County.

The remains of Patrick Chapman were found, according to Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch.

On Friday, October 13, Sheriff Finch received information about possible human remains found in a creek bed east of Mill Spring.

Sheriff Finch found a human skull in a creek bed. He contacted JT Wilson with Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control.

Sheriff Finch and Officer Wilson collected the remains and searched the area where the human skull was found but did not locate anything.

Weather caused further search of the area to be postponed.

Further search of the area including the use of cadaver dogs from Bloomfield were called to assist.

On Monday, October 16, Sheriff Finch, Officer Wilson, fire department volunteers from Clearwater and Piedmont and the cadaver dogs with their owner Krista Tucker conducted an extensive search of the area.

Coveralls with a cell phone in a pocket, a pair of shoes, and a shirt were found.

Volunteers and and dog continued searching. After they took a break, a second dog was used and another search started.

The search ended on the east side of the creek where the rest of the remains were found in the creek bed on the side of the bank.

Positive identification was made through the cell phone and a medical procedure place that had been surgically placed in the spine.