Anonymous letters sent to the family of a woman missing for six years led to the discovery of her remains near a famous cave in Serbia. The remains of 29-year-old Marija Kepić were found wrapped in a blanket close to Risovača Cave, near Aranđelovac.
Discovery after anonymous letters
Marija disappeared in the early hours of October 29, 2020, after leaving her home alone with a bag and her phone switched off. Following DNA analysis, it was confirmed that the remains belonged to her.
Marija's sister said at the time: “We called her, we asked around, but there was never any indication that she would just up and leave like that.” It is reported that Marija had ended her relationship with her boyfriend two days before she vanished, though her sister insisted the split was amicable.
Father describes search
Marija's father, Slavenko Kepić, told local media: “We found my daughter’s body after several letters were sent to my home address giving details of where she might be. The sender said they had heard about Marija’s disappearance and advised us to search the Risovača area with a drone. So that’s what we did.”
He added: “My other daughter, myself and a few other people flew a drone and spotted something underground. When we dug up the spot, we found a skeleton. I recognised her trainers, and there was a little hair too.”
Investigation continues
Local media report that Marija died in a flat and her former boyfriend, allegedly out of fear, wrapped her body in a blanket before hiding it. Prior to his death, he reportedly told a friend what happened; that friend confided in a third person, who is said to have sent the anonymous letters.
Further forensic examinations will be conducted to determine whether there are fractures or other injuries that could indicate a violent death. Forensic expert Ljubiša Božić told local media: “Police will treat this as a murder first and consider other possibilities later.”
Lawyer Radomir Munižaba stated: “As the investigation continues, prosecutors will first seek to establish who sent the anonymous letter and who knows what happened six years ago.” Former State Security Service operative Božidar Spasić suggested that either a drug overdose or the involvement of a cult would make sense given the condition of the body.
Marija's father said: “It looks as though they wrote the letters wearing gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints. The strangest thing is that the person expressed remorse in the letters. Why? That’s the biggest question now.”
