Tragic end in hunt for missing woman, 29, after local spotted 'Halloween decorations' behind her home

Daily Mail​

23-04-2025

The hunt for a 29-year-old missing Illinois woman in North Carolina came to a tragic end after ' Halloween decorations' spotted by a local were identified as her remains.
The body of Caitlin Hodges, who was reported missing on July 25, 2024, was found behind her home on December 10 in the Dollard Town Road area in Goldsboro.
Shareka Smith, who had called to report the remains, told ABC 11: 'When I came and seen it I thought it was like Halloween decorations...
'...but then I thought, "Oh my god, it's got to be a human head".'
It was Smith's dog who alerted her to the remains just feet from her home.
Hodges had last been seen on July 18 in Goldsboro where she had been visiting her boyfriend.
Her remains were found 14 minutes from the house where she was staying with her boyfriend and his mom.
On March 20, the sheriff's office was notified that the remains discovered were likely female but not believed to have been those of Hodges.
However, on April 8, the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found that, following further analysis, the remains were in fact those of Hodges, according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
Caitlin's sister, Mandy Hodges, wrote on Facebook that their family is 'deeply saddened' by the news.
'This past month has brought my parents the pain of losing two daughters,' she wrote, referring to the loss of Jessica Hodges, who was found fed in Illinois in March.
'So many of you poured your time, effort, and resources into the search for Caitlin, and for that, we will always be thankful.'
Jennifer Allio, Caitlin's cousin, told ABC 11: 'Caitlin is my baby cousin. She was born ten years after us. She always got a lot of love. She was very special.'
A neighbor just houses down from where Hodges' remains were found told the outlet that the discovery was 'really devastating for a young girl.'
An obituary for Caitlin described her as 'deeply loved' and that she would be remembered for her 'infectious laughter and her beautiful smile,' Lake & McHenry County Scanner reported.
'She loved to play guitar and had such a free spirit. She loved sunflowers and sea turtles. She loved to help others and truly was a tremendous soul full of love and light,' the obituary said.
'Caitlin loved to travel and made friends everywhere she went.'
The investigation remains active as law enforcement and Hodges' family look for answers in Caitlin's death.