New Developments Emerge In Missing Woman Case

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CBS4)- It's a missing persons case that has baffled investigators for years. Paige Birgfeld disappeared in June 2007. The mother of three left her home in Grand Junction and was never seen again.

"The case has always remained active and ongoing since she disappeared," said Mesa County Sheriff Department spokeswoman Heather Benjamin.

The investigation revealed that Birgfeld had secretly been working as a model or escort.

Now, years after she was last seen, investigators are once again searching a field where her car was found four years ago. They're looking for a clandestine grave sites.

"They'll go this whole route and there may be other areas around where her vehicle was found that could be searched," said Benjamin.

Detectives say when killers bury the remains of someone, they'll go deep underground, then place animal bones on top of the human remains to throw off investigators.

Authorities won't say what prompted the search, but it was enough to call out the sheriff's department, search and rescue, volunteers and even the coroner.

"We found one area where we had at least three different types of animal bones on top and we removed that down to native soil," said Mesa County Coroner's Office spokesman Kim Hollingshead.

Other bone fragments found at the site have been sent in for testing.

Birgfeld's family has been left wondering what happened to Paige since she went missing.

"This is life's worst nightmare that no citizen, no human being should ever get the phone call and go through it," said Paige's father Frank Birgfeld.

They are encouraged, but skeptical because that same area has been searched time and time again.

"That particular piece of property was well searched and frankly it was fairly barren of any vegetation and there wasn't really much to look at," said Birgfeld.

The only suspect ever named in the case was Lester Jones, but he was never arrested. No one knows what actually happened, but Frank has his own theory.

"I think this was a murder for hire," said Birgfeld.

The sheriff does not know when the results on the bone fragments will be complete.