The FBI and West Virginia State Police are searching a half-acre along Buffalo Creek Road in Wayne County. They are looking for the remains of missing Marshall University co-ed Samantha Burns who was murdered in 2002. The search got underway on Wednesday.
FBI Supervisor Chris Courtright says they’re following up some leads from earlier in their investigation and it led them to the wooded area near Route 75.
“It’s close to where we’ve searched in the past but this is a new area for us,” Courtright told MetrdoNews Thursday.
The FBI supervisor says they have a lot of agents, troopers and few four-legged creatures carefully searching the area.
“There’s probably 25 people out there,” Courtright said. “The FBI cadaver dogs are also assisting.”
Burns was kidnapped from the Huntington Mall in Barboursville and killed by Chad Fulks and Brandon Basham. The two are currently on federal death row for a 2002 crime spree that also involved the murder of a South Carolina woman.
Over the past 11 years, several searches for Burns’ remains have taken place. Nothing has ever been located. Courtright hopes this time will be different.
“We always have hope. That’s the key to this,” the FBI agent said. “I mean, gosh, the guys are on death row now. And for us, this is a matter of just bringing closure to the family.”
If any remains are located on the property, Courtright stresses they won’t be able to immediately say if they belong to Burns. Any remains would have to be sent away for examination and positive identification. That could take months.