Family Clings To Hope As Police Investigate Remains
STOCKTON (CBS13) -- The family of Dalene Carlson said they are still holding on to hope that the missing woman is still alive, even after authorities found the remains of a woman in a corn field near Escalon over the weekend.
Stockton Police investigators were called out to the rural field near Lone Tree Road and Sexton Road after a farmer stumbled upon a gruesome find Saturday afternoon, combing the area for clues that could lead them to the identity of the woman and the cause of her death.
Carlson, a 23-year-old Stockton newcomer, disappeared more than two months ago and hasn't been heard from since. Detective Roseann Clark said authorities will not release details about the identity of the deceased woman until a positive identification is made.
"At this point we're not saying it is Dalene and we're not saying it's not Dalene," Clark said.
Authorities had previously arrested the man with whom Dalene was last seen, Jason Gilley, but released him a few days later due to a lack of evidence.
Detectives said Gilley was seen on the day Dalene went missing at a gas station about 15 miles from where the remains were found. Gilley was unavailable for comment Sunday.
Authorities say anyone with information on Carlson's disappearance is asked to contact the Stockton Police Department.
