MARQUETTE — Unidentified human remains found in an undisclosed location in Marquette County on Tuesday have been positively identified as Jody Dean Howe of Marquette, who would have been 59 years old as of Sunday, Michigan State Police report.

At the time of discovery, the identity of the subject and the cause of death were unknown. A forensic autopsy was performed on Thursday at WMed Health at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, leading to Howe’s identification.

With this information, the investigation has moved from a missing person to a homicide investigation. Howe was reported missing in August 2019. Howe was last seen on video surveillance at Meijer in Marquette at 9:56 a.m. Aug. 23.

The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information that can be released at this time.

Anyone with information pertaining to the disappearance of Howe, is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Kevin Ryan of the MSP Negaunee Post at 906-475-9922.