Missing Women Found After Suspicious House Fire
State Police had been actively searching for two missing ladies in Upstate New York for days, and they say they discovered their bodies on their property after their home was strangely set on fire.
Timeline of Events
According to a news release from the NYSP, on December 12, 2024, at around 8:30 p.m., two missing ladies were reported.
During the active investigation, State Police members were alerted about a fire at 2 Birch Street in Plattsburgh (160 miles north of Albany), the home of the two missing women, according to the NYSP.
On December 16, 2024, officers of the New York State Police conducted an active search of the surrounding area, which led them to human remains. The State Police say they are carrying out various search warrants and examining the scenes to acquire evidence.
Who Were the Women?
Officials told NBC5 that they were looking into missing person reports for Miranda Wade and Karen Besaw, though the New York State Police have yet to identify the victims.
Are There Any Suspects?
According to NBC5, Joe Hewitt, the alleged boyfriend of one of the ladies in the home, was arrested on Sunday on a charge of tampering with evidence. State police will neither confirm or deny if the charge is related to the disappearance of the two ladies.
According to the TV station, Joe Hewitt of Plattsburgh, who lives at 2 Birch Street, is a registered sex offender on the National Sex Offender Registry.
State Police say they believe this is an isolated event and that there is no immediate threat to the public.
Anyone with information about this event is asked to contact State Police at 518-873-2776.
