Tyesha Bell Update: Remains Of Aurora Woman Missing Since 2003 Found

Bones found in a shallow grave in Illinois have been identified to be that of a 22-year-old woman who went missing in 2003.

Tyesha Bell disappeared after she stepped outside her West Side apartment in Aurora following a mysterious phone call.

On Tuesday, Aurora police and the Kane County coroner confirmed remains found in Kane County late last year were of Bell, a mother of two. Officials said they have converted the missing person's case into a homicide investigation, Chicago Tribune reported.

On Dec. 11, officials were informed skeletal remains, clothing and some personal items were found in a shallow grave in a wooded area in Kane County. The county coroner Rob Russell's office worked with a dentist and bone specialist to create a profile of the person. Meanwhile, Aurora police suspected the remains could be of Bell and matched her DNA against a sample.

While the police confirmed the remains were of the Aurora woman, the cause of death was not revealed. The police also did not reveal how the remains were found.

Bell went missing in the late evening of May 10, 2003, from an apartment in North Randall Road in Aurora. She left her two children and even her wallet at home on the day of her disappearance, local authorities said at the time. The children were just 2 and 5 years old when Bell went missing.

An extensive search was launched for Bell following her disappearance. The police had questioned a person of interest at the time, but it did not lead to any further information. Her mother, Lorna Smith, also raised $10,000 as a reward for anybody who helps in finding her daughter.

“Until I get a knock at my door and police tell me they have found my daughter’s remains, I will continue to think of her as alive," Smith said at the time.

Meanwhile, Aurora Police Cmdr. Jack Fichtel told Chicago Tribune, “Our detectives continue to have working theories in Tyesha’s case, but we need more information before criminal charges can be authorized, and that’s where the public comes in."