Still no break in mystery of missing woman after 33 years

PORT ANGELES — Bertha Louise Burke disappeared almost 33 years ago to the day, and police on Friday hoped an excavation for her body might provide some answers in the case.

But after an FBI Evidence Response Team dug and sifted through dirt for several hours in the back yard of Burke’s former residence, looking for human remains, investigators have few new clues.

By about 8 p.m. when the dig ended, the team had uncovered some scattered hairs, fibers, a button and some glass, Port Angeles police Cpl. Jack Lowell said.

They did not find any bone fragments.

The found items will be sent to the Washington State Patrol crime lab for investigation.

“We can’t tell if they’re related to this case,” Lowell said. “Basically, until we can have those examined, there’s not much we can say.”

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The rest of the story appears in Sunday’s Peninsula Daily News. Click on SUBSCRIBE to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.

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