Are remains related to case of missing Woodstock woman?

Police are trying to determine if burned remains recently discovered downstate are related to the 2010 disappearance of a Woodstock woman.

Benedetta "Beth" Bentley, then 41, vanished in May 2010 after a friend reportedly dropped her off at an Amtrak station in downstate Centralia. She was supposed to take a train home but didn't return to Woodstock and was reported missing.

There's no evidence Bentley bought a ticket for the train, according to a notice about Bentley's disappearance.

Woodstock police and state police announced Thursday that information was developed in the case led police to a rural location in Jefferson County, and on Dec. 4 suspected human remains and other pieces of evidence were found there.

The remains were badly burned and investigators are trying to identify them.

The state police and Woodstock police are investigating Bentley's disappearance.

Woodstock Deputy Police Chief Ray Lanz said his department didn't have anyone in custody Thursday. A state police representative couldn't be reached.

In 2013, a friend who was with Bentley was charged with obstructing justice in connection with the case, but the charges later were dropped.

No one else has been charged in the case.

Anyone with information about Bentley's disappearance should call state police at (618) 542-2171 or Woodstock police at (815) 338-2131.