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Missing woman’s skull found

Authorities have found no evidence of foul play.

Photos: Skull found in Clark County

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer Updated 7:22 AM Wednesday, November 23, 2011

HARMONY TWP. — A skull found near a creek in Harmony Twp. has been identified as that of a local missing woman.

Faith Willison, 56, disappeared in June 2010. The skull was discovered by a hunter Saturday a half-mile from where Willison’s car was found abandoned last year, said Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly.

A pathologist in Columbus examined the skull Tuesday and made a positive identification using dental records.

Christi Moore, Willison’s sister who lives in Colorado, said Tuesday she was coming to town today to “grieve with my family.”

“I do feel some relief knowing where she is — that she is in heaven — but I have had a feeling that she’s been gone for a long time because she would have contacted us,” Moore said.

Willison was last seen about 11:30 p.m. June 27, 2010. Her car was located around 6:30 a.m. June 28 after a Frito-Lay delivery driver reported seeing it crash into a tree on U.S. 40. He called 911, but by the time he turned around the driver had disappeared, Kelly said.

Her purse was found by a different set of hunters Jan. 11. Inside, authorities found her cellphone, license, credit cards and even a prescription. Kelly said they tried “pinging” her cell when she went missing but it was turned off.

Kelly said Willison was on medication and left a note at her house saying she was “going to return to mental health” the day she disappeared. He said it’s possible she was disoriented after the crash and wandered farther north than authorities anticipated.

After her disappearance, authorities searched the area near where Willison’s car was found for days using cadaver dogs and a plane but were unable to locate her.

Kelly noted the skull was found near a cornfield. The Clark County coroner examined the skull, and Kelly said there was no evidence to suggest Willison was murdered.

Moore disagreed with the sheriff’s theory: “I think she ran into foul play.”

Kelly said it could be a long time before the rest of her body is recovered and they can determine how she died.

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