Missing Colorado Mom Update: Search For Kelsey Berreth's Remains In Landfill Begins

Officials investigating the disappearance of Kelsey Berreth were set to start searching a landfill in Fountain on Tuesday to find the Colorado mother's remains. According to the Woodland Park Police Department, the search will be conducted by its detectives and other law enforcement officials at Midway Landfill.

WPPD said the search was expected to last between 16 and 80 days, and they would try to look for any evidence related to the case, including the alleged burnt remains of Berreth.

"Based on information developed in this case, investigators are now focused on recovering Kelsey’s remains and any additional evidence that may be identified during the search of the landfill," WPPD said in a press release.

Commander Chris Adams, of the Woodland Park Police Department, spoke with local media Monday, saying: "Based on the information we received from our expert that has done (this type of search), he's broken it down into a primary search area and we're going to be searching that area... The excavator will take the trash out, put it in lines, and then we'll have searchers go through each piece and search for it."

Adams added: "If the body was burned, we'll be looking for teeth, bones, things like that... The body would have been left here three months ago, but that's not too long to find that kind of evidence."

WPPD described the operation as sensitive and said the landfill was private property.

“I want to express my gratitude to Waste Management for working so closely with our investigators as we continue our efforts to locate Kelsey,” Chief Miles De Young of WPPD said in the press release. “Additionally, I extend my deep appreciation to the community and our fellow law enforcement agencies for their unwavering support as we tirelessly investigate Kelsey’s case.”

The 29-year-old flight instructor was last seen shopping on Thanksgiving Day and three days later her cell phone pinged near Gooding, Idaho, just 40 miles from Twin Falls. Her fiancé Patrick Frazee was charged with first-degree murder and three counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder as well as charges of tampering with a deceased body and two charges of committing a crime of violence.

Investigators believe Frazee allegedly killed Berreth in her apartment. He is speculated to have blindfolded her and asked her to smell scented candles, and then allegedly beat her to death with a baseball bat.

According to an affidavit that detailed the alleged murder, Frazee along with the help of Idaho nurse Krystal Lee Kenney tried to dispose of Berreth's body. They allegedly burned her body along with the bat that Frazee used to beat Berreth and some of her personal items.

Kenney was charged with one felony count of evidence tampering for getting rid of Berreth’s phone. Earlier in February, she pleaded guilty to the charges. A motions hearing was scheduled for Frazee on March 4 and an arraignment was slated for April 8.