NEWFOUNDLAND, Pa. — Investigators are searching a property in Wayne County in connection with a Monroe County man's disappearance.
An excavator was brought to this home along Peet Road in Wayne County to assist police and forensic crews who have been working for the last two days, digging up the backyard looking for the skeletal remains of Stephen Lepore of Tobyhanna.
"A cadaver dog specially trained to locate human Remains indicated in an area that we had interest in. We began to excavate the area, and we located human remains," said Detective Craig Vanlouvender, Monroe County District Attorney's Office.
Detective Craig Vanlouvender of the Monroe County District Attorney's Office has been working on the missing persons case of Lepore since 2013.
A year after he was first reported missing from his hometown in Monroe County in August of 2012.
"We don't have an I.D. yet on the remains, so that's where we are at this point," said Detective Louvender.
In a statement released Wednesday by the Wayne County district attorney's office, the search warrant for the home was issued after Brian Hewson, formerly of Monroe County, told police Lepore's body would be found near the pool at his relative's house.
According to court papers in an interview in 2015, a former associate of Brian Hewson told Police that Hewson cut a deal with him to kill Lepore because of a dispute over money.
While Wednesday's discovery advances the investigation, police say there is still work to be done.
"It's an ongoing investigation; when it is complete, we will be ready to move on," added Detective Vanlouvender.
Brian Hewson was arrested in Florida in September and charged as a fugitive from justice for missing court on unrelated charges in Monroe County.
Authorities in Monroe County say they plan to provide more information regarding Lepore's disappearance in the coming days.