From time to time, police agencies in Superiorland and elsewhere ask for the general public’s help as they are working to solve cases.

The kinds of cases can and have varied a great deal, touching on everything from stolen property to telephone/internet scams to missing persons.

The very latest local request for assistance involves the passing of a local resident, a death that has been ruled a homicide.

Human remains found in an undisclosed location in Marquette County one week ago have been positively identified as Jody Dean Howe of Marquette.

Howe, who would have turned 59 years of age on Sunday, had been missing for nearly a year.

Howe was reported missing by his family in August 2019. Specifically, he was last seen on video surveillance at Meijer in Marquette at 9:56 a.m. Aug. 23.

A forensic autopsy performed Thursday at WMed Health at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo led to Howe’s identification and determination that the death was, in fact, a homicide, police said.

This investigation is just starting and certainly there’s a lot of ground to cover.

But if anyone has information pertaining to the disappearance of Howe, please contact Detective Sgt. Kevin Ryan of the MSP Negaunee Post at 906-475-9922.

Someone knows something. We hope they step forward and help solve this tragic case.