Man arrested after missing Delaware woman’s remains found in Maryland
02/23/2022 2:59 pm PST
KENT COUNTY, Del. (TCD) -- A 41-year-old man stands accused of killing a missing Delaware woman after her remains were located in Maryland on Feb. 16.
According to a press release from the Delaware State Police, Jennifer Leyanna had not been seen or heard from since Oct. 9, 2020. Upon further investigation, interviews, and tips, police say they assumed she was deceased.
Leyanna’s remains were reportedly discovered in the backyard of a home in the 25000 block of Schuyler Road in Henderson, Maryland, on Feb. 16, 2022. According to police, the Maryland Forensic Sciences Division positively identified the remains as Leyanna’s.
Police say Leonard "Buddy" Church was identified as a suspect and was taken into custody. He was reportedly incarcerated in the Maryland Division of Corrections on unrelated charges.
According to police, Church was extradited to Delaware State Police Troop 3 on Monday, Feb. 21, and he was charged with first-degree murder. Church remains incarcerated at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $2 million bond, WMDT-TV reports.
MORE: