Human remains have been discovered inside a vehicle belonging to a woman who vanished in Arkansas over two decades ago, alongside her child.
The car of Samantha Jean Hopper was located submerged in eight feet of water by Adventures With Purpose, a nonprofit organization dedicated to solving cold cases nationwide. The discovery was made on Tuesday, as confirmed by the Pope County Sheriff’s Office.
Hopper was last seen on September 11, 1998, when she disappeared with her daughter. The two, along with her blue Ford Tempo, were never found. She was believed to be on her way to drop off her daughter, Courtney Holt, before heading to a performance in Little Rock.
The vehicle was located submerged in the water, and human remains found inside it are now being sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock for DNA analysis.
In a statement, the Pope County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude for being part of resolving this long-unsolved case, offering condolences to the family.
Dezarea, Hopper’s daughter, shared on a memorial page that her mother was nine months pregnant at the time of her disappearance. Dezarea also noted that her younger sister was about two years old. She described the discovery of their remains as a “relief”.