LA PORTE COUNTY, INDIANA – Remains of a Marion woman who has not been seen in about six months have been found in northern Indiana and an arrest has been made in the case.

According to a press release on the La Porte County, Indiana Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, family members reported 46-year-old Laura Wolfe missing to Marion, Illinois Police on July 19, 2020. As Illinois authorities continued to investigate, information developed that Wolfe had recently traveled through La Porte County.

On July 31, 2020, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division was made aware of the Wolfe missing person investigation being conducted by Illinois authorities. Members of CID began to provide assistance in the multi-agency investigation.

On August 21, 2020, articles belonging to Wolfe were located on property belonging to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD/South Shore Railway). The property was in rural Springfield Township, specifically between County Road 300 West and County Road 400 West.

The multi-agency investigation continued, and CID began to devote further resources to the investigation. Detective Sergeant Adam Hannon was assigned as the lead investigator for the LCSO.

On September 23, 2020, the entire CID and assisting agencies conducted a series of grid searches in Springfield Township related to the ongoing WOLFE investigation.

On October 28, 2020, a farmer harvesting corn located human remains in a field in Springfield Township, specifically along County Road 800 North between County Road 300 West and County Road 400 West. The next day, CID along with several other agencies, processed the scene and conducted a series of additional grid searches. The area where the human remains were discovered were outside the scope of the original grid searches that commenced on September 23.

The human remains were transported to the University of Indianapolis for examination. Detective Sergeant Hannon and other members of CID continued to investigate. Early in the investigation, a person of interest, 39-year-old Lynn Ware Jr. of Martin, Tennessee, developed into the disappearance of Wolfe.

In December of 2020, the human remains were identified as being that of Wolfe. Upon evaluating the investigation and forensic results, the La Porte County Coroner’s Office ruled the manner of Wolfe’s death as a homicide.

On December 22, 2020, Detective Sergeant Hannon signed a probable cause affidavit. Probable Cause was granted in La Porte County Superior Court I and an arrest warrant was issued for Ware for the offense of murder.

In the following days, Sergeant Hannon called upon the members of the Fugitive Apprehension Street Team (FAST) to assist in locating Ware. On December 31, 2020, Ware was taken into custody in O’Fallon, Illinois. Ware waived extradition and will be transported to the La Porte County Jail.

The investigation remains open and ongoing. No further information is available for release.

Assisting: Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Marshal Service, Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, Berrien County (MI) Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, La Porte Police Department, Kankakee (IL) Police Department and the La Porte County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

Arrests and criminal charges are mere accusations. Every person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.