Body of woman missing for 25 years reportedly found on ex-boyfriend's property

A 67-year-old Texas man has been arrested after authorities discovered human remains buried at his home that they believe belong to his ex-girlfriend, who disappeared 25 years ago.

Kimberly Langwell, 34, was last seen leaving work just after 5 p.m. on July 9, 1999. She called her 15-year-old daughter to say she would be home for dinner around 6:30 p.m. after stopping by her Beaumont home with her ex-boyfriend, Terry Rose. Langwell's car was discovered around 10:30 p.m., abandoned at a drugstore with her cellphone and other belongings inside, investigators said, but her car keys and purse were missing.

The case went unheeded for years, but in April, investigators said a “reliable informant” told them that Rose killed Langwell inside her home the night she disappeared, then had buried on his property. according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by HuffPost.

Langwell's daughter, Tiffani McInnis, said Friday that she had always been convinced that her mother never left Rose's house.

“It's hard when you know where your mother has been all this time and there's nothing you can do about it,” she said. told KFDM after Beaumont police held a press conference Friday announcing Rose's arrest and the recovery of her remains.

Investigators said they were still waiting for DNA results to confirm the identity of the remains, but said they considered the cold case solved and were pleased Langwell's family could finally have some closure.

In November, McInnis said on Facebook that she believed her mother's case had “finally gained traction” after being featured on Oxygen's “Cold Justice With Kelly Siegler.”

Langwell's sister, Susan Lofgren Butts, thanked the show and the Beaumont Police Department for their investigations on Facebook in November. Without naming Rose, she also referred to the fact that the family always believed they knew who killed Langwell.

“He made a statement that to me dispels all doubt,” Butts wrote. “He also believed there was no body, no crime.

“Well, things have changed,” Butts said, noting that the evidence at the time was circumstantial, but there was “plenty.”

Police Chief Jimmy Singletary was emotional at Friday's news conference, calling the investigation “extraordinary” and praising detectives who have remained on the case for decades.

“They were going to make sure the family had some kind of closure, and boy did they,” he said.

Volunteers using ground-penetrating radar were able to identify an area of ​​interest “within minutes” of arriving, the search and recovery nonprofit said. Equusearch announced on its website Friday. Human remains were found there.

“While positive identification remains to be confirmed, Kimberly Langwell's family will finally have answers and may be able to begin a new grieving process by bringing their beloved Kimberly home,” EquuSearch said.

“I hope he goes to prison forever,” McInnis told reporters Friday of Rose. “I hope he survives at least the 25 years that we've endured.”

Rose's bail was set at $1 million Friday. It was not clear whether he has hired a lawyer or when he is expected to appear in court again.

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