Skull of missing woman found nearly 2 years after her disappearance

ANTHEM, Ariz. ( KPHO /Gray News) - Human remains of an Arizona woman who vanished nearly two years ago have been found.

Investigators say that a skull was found in the New River area last Wednesday that has since been positively identified as that of missing person JoAnn Dudek.

"We woke up to the news that her remains have been located and identified," Dudek's niece, Erin Murtha, said.

Murtha has fought tirelessly for answers in her aunt's case for two years.

On Nov. 13, 2022, Dudek disappeared from her Anthem-area home.

The case quickly became a homicide investigation within the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, but with no concrete evidence inside the home and no trace of Dudek, developments went cold.

"Half of my heart is heartbroken, and the other half of my heart is happy to say this is no longer a no-body homicide," Murtha said.

Details are still limited regarding how the remains were found and where that scene was.

"We do not know exactly where they were found and we don't know exactly by who," Murtha said.

According to Murtha, their extended family believes Dudek died inside her home in 2022 during a violent altercation.

Her family shared Dudek's last text message to her sister, which was at 6:23 p.m. that November night.

The final message ended with a heart emoji and "Love, Jo" as they were planning a holiday trip to New York City.

The next messages showed family members expressing worry and concern when she abruptly stopped responding.

"My hope of sharing these text messages is to show that whatever happened to JoAnn did not happen of her own volition. It was done to her," Murtha said.

Three people lived at the house besides Dudek, and her husband died months after she disappeared from a seizure and brain damage.

The only other two living there at the time were Dudek's adoptive daughter and her boyfriend.

Murtha said the rest of the family has cut off communication with them.

"We are very hopeful that now with the location of these remains what happened that night and who did this to her will come to light," Murtha said. "It is insane that the day before this we were getting ready to mourn the second anniversary without answers and now the biggest answer has been revealed."

Murtha said they still don't know her aunt's cause of death, but that is something they are hoping to learn from the coroner in the coming days or weeks.

She said they will now bring Dudek home and lay her to rest next to her parents, but they're committed to getting justice for her.