Investigators said they will not release scene details while the case develops.
JACKSON, Tennessee — Investigators in Jackson are waiting on forensic results after remains were found in the crawl space beneath a home on Raintree Cove, a discovery that police said has been turned over to a suspected homicide investigation. The remains were sent to Nashville for a forensic autopsy to confirm identity and determine the cause of death.
Police said the discovery came during the search for Mirna Ortez Moncada, a 31-year-old woman reported missing earlier this month. Officers took the missing person report on Feb. 16 after family members contacted the Jackson Police Department, and the department’s Special Victims Unit began investigating, authorities said. On Saturday, after the family contacted police again, officers went to the Raintree Cove home and found the remains beneath the residence.
In the days after the Feb. 16 report, police said their Special Victims Unit handled the investigation into Moncada’s disappearance. Authorities did not describe what information they developed during that period, but said the investigation led officers to a residence on Raintree Cove in north Jackson. Police said the home belongs to an acquaintance of Moncada. On Saturday, Feb. 21, officers responded to the address after being contacted by Moncada’s family, then searched the property and found remains in the crawl space under the house. The department said family members tentatively identified the remains as Moncada. Police emphasized that confirmation would come through forensic work, and described the case as “ongoing” as investigators pursued leads.
Officials said the remains were transported to Nashville for a forensic autopsy to confirm identity and determine cause of death. Police have not released information about the condition of the remains, whether investigators recovered physical evidence, or whether the residence is being treated as an active crime scene beyond the initial response. Authorities have also not said whether the acquaintance who owns the home has been interviewed or whether anyone is in custody. No charges were announced. In a statement, police said they would not share additional details about the scene or potential suspects to “protect the integrity” of the investigation.
The limited information released underscores how quickly a missing person case can shift into a death investigation once remains are located. Police described the family identification as tentative, a step that can be based on personal knowledge but still requires forensic confirmation. Investigators said the autopsy in Nashville will address both who was found and how the person died, findings that typically guide next procedural steps such as search warrants, additional interviews, and decisions about whether to seek criminal charges. Police have not said what they believe happened to Moncada, when she was last seen, or what led investigators to focus on the Raintree Cove address.
Police said they are treating the case as a suspected homicide while they await forensic results. Authorities asked anyone with information related to the investigation to contact the Jackson Police Department at 731-425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 731-424-8477. Police did not announce any scheduled court date, public briefing, or timeline for when autopsy findings might be released. Officials also did not say whether they are searching for specific vehicles, seeking surveillance video, or looking for witnesses who may have seen Moncada in the days before she was reported missing. Those details, police said, will be held back during the early stages of the inquiry.
Neighbors and others in the area were left with few answers as police kept the investigation close, releasing only the address area, the missing woman’s name, and the forensic steps underway. Police did not describe what investigators saw beneath the home, and they did not say whether the family had previously been to the residence. The department’s request for tips suggests investigators are still piecing together a timeline, including where Moncada went after she was last seen and who she was with. For now, police said the most definitive next step is the completion of the forensic autopsy in Nashville, which they said will confirm identity and determine cause of death.
As of Tuesday, police said formal identification is still pending and the investigation remains active. The next milestone will be the medical examiner’s findings, which authorities said will confirm who was found and provide the cause of death.
Author note: Last updated February 24, 2026.