Grandma vanished 10 months ago. Now remains found in ditch confirmed as her, cops say
.png "A news conference was held after officials Texas confirmed that remains found in a Texas ditch were a woman who went missing in 2023.")
Officials in Texas have identified remains found earlier this year as a woman who vanished in 2023.
Sheryl Ann Siddall, 57, was reported missing on Sept. 18, according to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were told that Siddall was not responding to phone calls and could not be located. She hadn’t been heard from since Sept. 12, family members told authorities.
When deputies searched Siddall’s home, Ronald Lee Hassler was there and said he was buying the house from Siddall, adding that she had left town to visit a family member.
Deputies then found what appeared to be blood on the kitchen floor, according to authorities, along with Siddall’s phone, purse and car at the home.
Behind her home, authorities found “evidence suggesting that something was dragged into Horseshoe Lake, which borders Siddall’s backyard,” officials said.
The lake was searched with a side-sonar mounted on a boat, but nothing was found, authorities said.
On March 22, officials received a report of a body lying in a ditch, Liberty County Sheriff’s Capt. David Meyers said at a July 15 news conference streamed by The Vindicator.
At the news conference, Meyers announced that the body was confirmed to be Siddall.
“Our family has waited tirelessly for answers, and although this is not the conclusion we hoped to come to, we recognize that we are fortunate in having an answer to a question that has haunted us for months.” Siddall’s niece, Amanda Turner, said.
Turner described Siddall as a mom, grandma and friend filled with love for her family.
In October, Hassler was charged with murder, according to the sheriff’s office. Meyers said Hassler and Siddall met at an event and were acquaintances.
Meyers did not release a cause of death or a motive.
“My aunt Sheryl was the definition of a firecracker, fun, loud, chaotic, and a beautiful bright light,” Turner said.
Liberty County is located just northeast of Houston.
This story was originally published July 16, 2024 at 10:37 AM with the headline "Grandma vanished 10 months ago. Now remains found in ditch confirmed as her, cops say."
