A year of searching, a year of waiting: Evelyn Blake's case reaches a grim milestone
– 2 min read
The Breckinridge County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that human remains found near Glen Dean on March 9, 2025, have been identified through DNA analysis as missing woman Evelyn Blake.
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After a year of searching and more than a year of uncertainty since then, there's now confirmation in the Evelyn Blake case.
The Breckinridge County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that human remains found near Glen Dean on March 9, 2025, have been identified through DNA analysis.
Blake had been missing since July 2024, when authorities first put out the call for help locating her, an elderly woman last known to be in the McQuady area. That search stretched on for eight months before the remains that would ultimately be identified as hers were found in Glen Dean.
The office said it learned of the DNA match on July 21, but sat on the announcement for 24 hours at the family's request- giving them time to notify loved ones before it became public.
The identification came together through a multi-agency effort: the Breckinridge County Coroner's Office, the Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner, the Kentucky Forensic Laboratory, and the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility all worked the case.
Sheriff William "Billy" Richardson offered condolences to Blake's family and thanked investigators and forensic partners for their persistence in "helping provide answers"- language that reflects just how long this case has dragged on without them.
What's notably absent from the release: any mention of manner or cause of death. The sheriff's office says that piece is still under investigation, and the case remains active. That leaves the central question- what happened to Evelyn Blake- still open, even with a name now attached to the remains.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to call (270) 756-2361 or use the anonymous tip line at (270) 580-TIPS.
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