Laclede County Sheriff Is Asking National Media To Help Identify Woman Found Encased In Concrete:

The Laclede County sheriffs office is hoping that with the help of the national media they can identify a woman whose body was found encased in concrete.

Hunters found the woman's body in a 4 1/2 foot by 2 foot hinged plastic toolbox in the woods near Lebanon on November 15th. Investigators believe that the woman had been folded and placed in the box, and then concrete poured on top of her.

The white woman, who was in her pajamas, was approximately 25 to 40 years old, between 5 foot 5 and 5 foot 8 and had brown hair that was about 7 to ten inches long. Her ears had been pierced once and she had no tattoos.

Laclede County Coroner, Steve Murell, believes the woman was dead about 10 days to two weeks. Murrell says, "the drying concrete pulled the moisture out of the woman's body making it difficult to get a facial profile." The concrete did preserve some evidence though, authorities were able to lift fingerprints from the woman's body and recover DNA from her as well.

Murrell adds that he doesn't believe the dead woman was a longtime local, but that she could have recently moved to the area and that whomever murdered her, "has not reported her missing."

Murrell is asking the public to think about neighbors and acquaintances that they may not have seen in sometime, "someone is missing this woman....we need to find out who she is and get her back to her family."

The woman had undergone laproscopic gall bladder surgery as well as a full hysterectomy. The medical examiner believes she had delivered at least one child.

If you know who this woman is call the Laclede County sheriff's office at 417-532-2311.