BOX ELDER COUNTY — Police have identified the human remains found in a black trash bag alongside a highway earlier this year as a St. George woman who had been missing since 2021.
The Brigham City Police Department announced Wednesday that the victim is Brandy M. Hickey, who would have been 42 years old at the time her body was discovered on April 2.
The remains were found near 2600 West along State Route 13 just outside of Brigham City. Initial attempts to identify the body were unsuccessful due to its condition, even after police publicly shared an image of a heart-shaped tattoo found on the deceased.
Investigators were finally able to identify Hickey using DNA analysis. They submitted a portion of the remains to an independent laboratory, which developed a profile that matched a previously submitted profile in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).
Detectives contacted Hickey’s family, learning she had been living in the St. George area with connections to Salt Lake City, but no one had heard from her since 2021.
The police department condemned the manner in which her body was found. “We would like to emphasize that every member of our community has value, and it is unacceptable for anyone to be harmed and discarded in such a callous and inhumane manner,” the department said in a release.
The Brigham City Police Department stated its committed to seeking justice for Hickey and her family. The investigation into her cause of death is ongoing.