Jessica Runions was 21 years old when she was last seen alive on Sept. 8, 2016, when she attended a house party in Grandview, Missouri.
The last person the Raymore woman was seen with was 27-year-old Kylr Yust. Runions’ car was found burned near East 95th Street and Blue River Road in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early hours of Sept. 10, 2016.
Law enforcement, family and friends searched for Runions for months and focused much of that search on the area where her car was found. Yust was arrested on suspicion of burning Runions’ car on Sept. 11, 2016. When police arrested Yust at a mobile home in Edwards, Missouri, they noticed burns to his hand, face and arms, and apparent scratches to his face.
Runions’ remains weren’t discovered until April 3, 2017, when a mushroom hunter came across Runion’s body in a wooded area near Belton. The next day, a set of remains that appeared considerably older than the first were located nearby. Runions’ remains were positively identified on April 5, 2017.
Family described Runions as fun-loving and family-oriented. Friends described her as having the “best smile” and “biggest heart.” Runions was laid to rest in late April 2017.