Published: October 31, 2009 09:44 am      

Body found thought to be that of missing woman

A body found by Cleburne police on Friday night is thought to be that of a local woman who went missing Oct. 9.

Police have not yet confirmed whether the body found is that of Virginia Burns, 67.

Burns had been staying at a nursing home in Keene, but was spending time a relative’s home in the 700 block of North Main Street in Cleburne when she was last seen.

Police responded to a call at about 6 p.m. near Buffalo Creek and discovered the decomposed body of an adult female, Sgt. Amy Knoll said.

The body was in a wooded area near the creek about five blocks from where Burns was last seen.

The cause of death was not readily apparent, Knoll said. Police now await the results of an autopsy to identify the remains and provide information concerning the cause of death.

“Because of its proximity to the apartment complex from which Burns disappeared, Buffalo Creek was searched following her disappearance,” Knoll said. “The area where the body was located was searched on two different occasions by helicopter. The density of the trees in the area prevented detectives from locating the body. The ground search of the creek was concentrated in the area adjacent to her last known location and south due to the fact that Buffalo Creek flows south.”

Police had no additional information on the case as of Saturday.