The Sentinel-Record 2-14-1977
The hunter who located the first of the skeletal remains of missing Garland County Sheriff’s Deputy Linda Edwards Saturday said Sunday night he had hunted in the same general area several times since her disappearance last August and attributed the discovery to chance.
Hunting wolves with a pack of dogs on Jack Mountain, C.W. Bledsoe said he and his hunting partner became separated from the pack. A report over the CB radio in his pickup truck that the dogs were on the trail of a wolf and he headed the truck in that direction.
Driving the truck along the Files Ranch Road, the dogs were nowhere to be seen or heard. Bledsoe said he pulled the truck over at the base of a hill and told his partner he was going to “run up and see if I can hear the dogs.” He did so, but still could not locate the dogs.
On his way down the hill, Bledsoe said he noticed “a bone laying there about halfway down the hill.” “It looked kinda funny and I couldn’t figure what kind of animal it was from and I thought it might be human.” Another bone was found nearby.
His friend in the truck agreed the bones appeared human and told Bledsoe they might be those of Ms. Edwards. With that in mind, Bledsoe contacted Garland County Sheriff Leon Barlow and told him of the discovery. Barlow then asked Bledsoe to wait where he was and drove out himself. Bledsoe said the sheriff agreed the bones looked as though they might be human and said he would have them checked out in town and call Bledsoe back.
Bledsoe said the sheriff did call him back and told him the bones were those of a human female. One was the left thighbone and the other the left lower leg bone. He said Barlow then asked him if he’d be willing to show him where the bones were found and Bledsoe replied he and the rest of the hunters were “ready to go.” Darkness approaching, the sheriff asked the hunters to meet him and his posse at 9 a.m. Sunday morning. A search throughout the day turned up the rest of the remains, several rings and articles of clothing.
Barlow had requested hunters to be on the lookout for Ms. Edwards’ remains or other evidence last fall.
