Mystery letters sent to the family of a missing woman advising them where to search for her body led to her discovery six years after she disappeared.
Marija Kepić’s remains were found wrapped in a blanket near a famous cave after the 29-year-old’s family received several letters giving details of where she might be.
Her remains were discovered near Risovača Cave, close to Aranđelovac, Serbia, in May.
READ MORE: Girl 15 found alive in coffin eight hours after being considered dead
The site is known for its prehistoric remains, including evidence of Neanderthals and Ice Age animals.
DNA analysis has now confirmed that the remains belonged to missing Marija Kepić.
Marija disappeared in the early hours of 29 October 2020 after leaving her home alone with a bag.
Her phone was subsequently switched off, as reported by Need To Know.
Marija’s sister said at the time: “We called her, we asked around, but there was never any indication that she would just up and leave like that.”
Marija had reportedly ended her relationship with her boyfriend just two days before she vanished. Her sister later said the split was amicable.
According to local media reports, Marija died in a flat and her former boyfriend, allegedly out of fear, wrapped her body in a blanket before hiding it.
Before his death, he reportedly told a friend what had happened. The friend later confided in a third person, who is said to have sent anonymous letters revealing where Marija’s remains could be found.
Marija’s father, Slavenko Kepić, told local media: “We found my daughter’s body after several letters were sent to my home address giving details of where she might be.
“The sender said they had heard about Marija’s disappearance and advised us to search the Risovača area with a drone. So that’s what we did.
“My other daughter, myself and a few other people flew a drone and spotted something underground.
“When we dug up the spot, we found a skeleton. I recognised her trainers, and there was a little hair too.”
The remains are undergoing further forensic examinations to establish whether there are fractures or other injuries that could indicate a violent death.
Forensic expert Ljubiša Božić told local media: “Police will treat this as a murder first and consider other possibilities later.”
Lawyer Radomir Munižaba added: “As the investigation continues, prosecutors will first seek to establish who sent the anonymous letter and who knows what happened six years ago.”
Former State Security Service operative Božidar Spasić suggested the circumstances in which the body was left pointed to “two possibilities: either a drug overdose or the involvement of a cult, and the two often go hand in hand”.
The anonymous letters were reportedly posted from different locations.
“It looks as though they wrote the letters wearing gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints,” Slavenko said.
“The strangest thing is that the person expressed remorse in the letters. Why? That’s the biggest question now.”
READ MORE: Teen who vanished after night out found in shallow grave with hands tied
