Missing Colorado woman's human body uncovered in trash bag in her old house

Jenny Goldsberry

June 11, 07:15 PM June 11, 07:32 PM

Law enforcement found the remains of a Colorado female who experienced been missing for just over four many years.

Authorities confirmed via genetic screening that human stays identified in a trash bag inside a manhole at 82-calendar year-aged Sylvia Frens's last residence have been, in truth, hers. Frens was formerly noted lacking by worried relatives users in 2018. An autopsy revealed that her result in of death was blunt drive trauma, and dominated her loss of life a homicide.

Frens's son, Richard Vandervelde, 54, was subsequently arrested on to start with diploma murder costs, as properly as with tampering with a deceased human overall body, crimes against an at-possibility grownup, fraud-identification theft, theft, motor vehicle theft, and abuse of a corpse. He was in Florida at the time of his arrest.

View: In excess of 40 Yrs Immediately after HER Mother and father Ended up KILLED, Missing Little one HOLLY MARIE IS Uncovered

Not even a week just after Frens was reported lacking, Vandervelde was pulled in excess of for a traffic violation in Missouri while driving his mother's motor vehicle. Authorities took him into custody to query him far more just after he gave police a phony name. Law enforcement then identified he had been employing his mother's debit card and taken $10,000 out of her financial institution account, much more of 50 % of which was in the car at the time. Vandervelde claimed the transactions had been all authorized by his mother.

A mobile phone observed with Vandervelde uncovered Feb 2018 searches for “Map of desolate destinations in Colorado” and “least traveled areas in the vicinity of grand junction co.”

Data also observed searches for “knocking someone out with a blow to the head,” “knocking a person unconscious,” “how to knock an individual out devoid of killing them,” how to knock an individual unconscious safely for a long time,” “5 ways to knock another person out in underneath 10 seconds,” “how to knock an individual out promptly and quietly,” and an post about knockout medication.

It was not until eventually March of 2022 that law enforcement were being capable to get permission from the new occupants of Frens's previous residence, which she shared with her son.

Vandervelde is at present Mesa County Detention Facility, awaiting arraignment on a $1 million money-only bond. His next court date is Jun 21.