Oregon officials have made a grim discovery related to the case of a woman found dead over the weekend. Authorities believe they have located the remains of two dogs that belonged to Susan Lane-Fournier, a 61-year-old who was reported missing on November 22.
Lane-Fournier’s body was uncovered on November 29 along a rural highway in northwest Oregon, close to some vacation cabins and hiking trails near Mount Hood. Her disappearance prompted a search that lasted nearly a week after her dogs, described as large Malinois mixes, were also reported missing.
Shortly after discovering her remains, police arrested her estranged husband, 71-year-old Michel Fournier, charging him with second-degree murder. He is currently in custody without bail.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office recently reported that they believe the two deceased dogs found by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office are indeed Lane-Fournier’s. The animals have been taken into custody, and authorities are working to confirm their identities.
The sheriff’s office described this situation as an ongoing homicide investigation and is calling for anyone who may have seen Michel Fournier or knows his whereabouts leading up to Susan’s disappearance to reach out to them.
Before her disappearance, Lane-Fournier had filed for divorce from her husband, citing “irreconcilable differences” that led to the breakdown of their marriage, according to local news reports.
Lane-Fournier was last heard from on November 22 when she did not arrive at work. A multi-day search was initiated after her truck was spotted near a local hiking trail, which ultimately led to the shocking discovery of her body under a tarp along the highway. A friend of Lane-Fournier’s, James Evans, made this find and initially mistook the tarp for trash, saying it was a devastating moment when he recognized what he had discovered.
The case remains under investigation as authorities continue to gather information.
