COWLEY COUNTY — A body found in rural Cowley County Thursday may be that of a missing Hutchinson man. The Wichita Police Department (WPD) located a deceased body in a remote area of Cowley County believed to be 50-year-old Jeffrey Jones.
Jones’ disappearance stems from an ongoing December criminal homicide investigation. Through continued investigation and interviews, investigators were led to an area near 107th Street East and 32nd Street South in Cowley County. Upon searching, officers found a deceased body in an abandoned structure in that area.
Wichita police will work with the Regional Forensic Science Center to confirm the identity of the body. The search was a coordinated effort between WPD, the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Highway Patrol. WPD previously arrested 53-year-old Jeffrey Hill of Wichita on charges of second-degree murder, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of narcotics, possession of marijuana and resisting arrest.
It was Dec. 29 that a 50-year-old male reported to officers that Hill was involved in an alleged criminal homicide in the 2100 block of South Water earlier in the month. He told officers the victim was taken to an unknown location outside of Wichita and buried. An investigation revealed the victim was Jones.
The examination of evidence and witness interviews led to Hill’s arrest.