After 10 days of intense investigation, the Emporia Police Department can confirm the bodies of two Emporia women, Linda L. Estrada, 44 and Amy R. Ford, 39, have been located in rural eastern Colorado.
The Emporia Police Department began their investigation in the early morning hours of Monday September 11, 2023, after a family member reported Linda as missing. EPD discovered Linda and Amy had been together in Colorado the previous weekend. Amy was reported missing shortly after the investigation began.
EPD’s Investigations Division utilized cellular phone technology, along with security videos and solid police work to track Linda and Amy’s movements throughout Colorado. The investigation led detectives to portions of eastern Colorado and western Kansas.
Authorities in Colorado spent 5 days searching with the aid of K9s, airplanes, drones, and ground searches. On Monday September 18th, EPD detectives traveled to eastern Colorado where they coordinated with local authorities and at 3:50pm (CST) on Wednesday September 20th, Linda and Amy’s bodies were found in rural eastern Colorado.
A person of interest to the case is in custody on charges not related to this specific investigation. The individual’s name will not be released by the Emporia Police Department at this time, due to the continuing investigation(s) in Colorado. EPD can confirm the individual has been cooperative.
The investigation is being turned over to an eastern Colorado Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
While Linda and Amy’s deaths are not the outcome we’d hoped for, the men and women of the Emporia Police Department offer our condolences to their families and want you to know how many people cared about finding them. EPD would like to thank individuals from the following agencies and business who assisted in the investigation:
Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center
Emporia Fire Department
Denver Police Department
Ness County, KS Sheriff’s Office
Kansas Missing & Unsolved
Lyon County Emergency Communications
Verizon Law Enforcement Resource Team
Lyon County Sheriff’s Office
Kansas Department for Children and Families
Lyon County Attorney’s Office
Kansas Bureau of Investigation Forensic Laboratory
Kansas Highway Patrol
4 Eastern CO Law Enforcement Agencies
Scott County Sheriff’s Office
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism
Cedar Bluffs State Park
Bloodhound Man Tracker, Inc.
Air Care Inc.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Coffey County Sheriff’s Office
Chase County Sherif’s Office
Colorado Bureau of Investigation
7-Eleven, Denver, CO
TA Travel Center, CO
Casey’s General Stores, Emporia
Peoples Bank & Trust, McPherson
Loves Travel Centers, CO
Flying J Travel Centers, Emporia and CO
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Contact:
Capt. Lisa Hayes
620-343-4219
lhayes@emporiaks.gov
Capt. Ray Mattas
620 341-4353
rmattas@emporiaks.gov
CITY