DNA evidence leads to Phoenix remains being ID’d

PHOENIX (AP) - Authorities say DNA evidence has linked skeletal remains to a Phoenix woman who went missing nearly 18 years ago.

Phoenix police announced Thursday that the death of Susan Cook now is being treated as a homicide.

They say the woman was last seen at her apartment in December 1996.

At the time of her disappearance, the 32-year-old Cook was married and had two young children.

Skeletal remains were found in west Phoenix in June 1997 but couldn’t be identified beyond race and sex.

Last year, cold case investigators with the police department’s Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit began reworking the case and requested DNA testing on the remains.

Police say the Arizona Department of Public Safety recently completed testing on the remains and confirmed that it was Cook.