LACLEDE COUNTY, Mo. — The Laclede County Sheriff’s Office is asking for information about what might have happened to a Lebanon woman whose body they found on Monday, Sept. 26.

The body of Hope L. Arnold, 33, of Lebanon was found in an embankment on Route 66 on Sept. 26. The body was found on the 33000 block of Route 66, near Hazelgreen, Missouri.

Deputies located Arnold’s body after responding to a call about a resident in the area finding a body part in their yard. Investigators followed several leads to identify Arnold. Preliminary autopsy results show that Arnold died of blunt force trauma.

“The body was in state of advanced decomposition indicating the body had been at the location for several days,” wrote Sheriff David Millsap in a press release. “The family has been notified and the investigators are following several leads. The victim was released from prison on September 9, 2022 and we believe that on or about that date is when she died.”

If anyone has any information about Arnold’s death, they can contact the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office at 417-532-2311.