Body found in Farmersville could be missing Richardson woman

FARMERSVILLE, Texas - Tips in the case of a missing woman led police to a body in an isolated part of Collin County.

Richardson police found the body Thursday evening in a heavily-wooded area along County Road 551 near Farmersville.

It was transferred to a medical examiner's office to be positively identified. Investigators spend the entire night combing through the property and looking for evidence.

The discovery came as police worked tips in the Jessie Bardwell case. Electronic data from a car computer and a cellphone led them to the spot in Farmersville.

“This is not something you come across every day in a rural area. It’s something that may have been there for several days, maybe even weeks. And so certain expertise was required to handle this crime scene and we wanted to make sure that we had the best available to handle it,” said Sgt. Kevin Perlich, with the Richardson Police Department.

Bardwell has been missing for 10 days. She went missing on Mother’s Day and her boyfriend, Jason Lowe, is facing a murder charge based on blood and other evidence found in his muddy SUV in his garage.

Police also found muddy tire tracks and possible vehicle parts near where the body was found. Investigators think they may have come from Lowe’s SUV, which may have gotten stuck in the mud and even required assistance to get out.

Richardson police did notify Bardwell’s family members of the discovery. Some of her relatives will provide DNA samples and dental records to help the medical examiner make a positive identification.

Police said they could release the ID early as Friday.