New Jersey State Police have identified human remains found earlier this year in Burlington County as those of a woman who had been missing for nearly three years.
Denice Smith was 51 when she was reported missing after walking away from her home in Woodland Township on October 9, 2023. State Police conducted multiple searches following her disappearance, while detectives continued investigating tips and leads in the years that followed.
On April 12, 2026, the Burlington County Search and Rescue Volunteer Team discovered human remains near Laurel Lane and Cedar Lane in Woodland Township.
Forensic comparisons conducted by the New Jersey State Police Forensic Anthropology Unit were reviewed by the Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office in August, formally identifying the remains as Smith.
New Jersey State Police said the investigation involved its Missing Persons Unit, Troop “C” Criminal Investigation Office, forensic specialists and other agencies. The identification brings an end to the nearly three-year effort to locate Smith.
