It’s a mystery that has hung over Jerry and Susan McFalls’ family for 10 months, since the South Jordan couple disappeared in early January.
That weekend, the couple had planned to travel from their Arizona property back to Utah. But when the McFallses didn’t show up, their family drove to the Littlefield home.
They found food that had grown cold on the counter. Pets had been left behind. Personal items were in their proper places.
But Jerry and Susan had vanished.
On Thursday, at least one piece of the mystery was solved: The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office announced that one of two sets of human remains found near the Virgin River Gorge a month prior was identified as Susan McFalls, 63. While the second set of remains has not been identified, the family believes the body likely belongs to Jerry, 63.
But larger questions remain. How did they end up there? Was someone responsible for their deaths?
The sheriff’s office says the investigation is ongoing. But McFalls family members said in a video they posted on a Facebook page Thursday that they believe “something happened” to get the couple to leave their property Jan. 11.
The news that the remains found on Oct. 18 were, in fact, Susan McFalls’ has brought some closure to their family.
“It gives you a small sense of relief to know that at least we can bring them home and lay them to rest with the family,” Jerry McFalls Jr. said. “And they’re not going to leave the legacy behind of being missing people.”
A website dedicated to finding the McFallses asks anyone with information about their deaths to call 1-800-526-1911. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered to anyone who can lead to a resolution to the case.
Follow @jm_miller