State Police say a body that was discovered in a shallow grave last week is a homicide victim. It's believed to be the body of a man who hasn't been seen since 2002.

The skeletal remains were found on Wednesday, August 27th in the front yard of a home in Jefferson. That house was once the home of Charles 'Chuck' Woodburn, who was 51 in 2002, which is the last time he was seen. The State Medical Examiner's Office says the death is a homicide but that it will take more work to establish a positive identification.

At the time of his disappearance, Woodburn was married and living at the house with his wife, Diane Darling. She later married Robert Gaudette. Police say she never reported Woodburn missing, but family members did following her death in 2010.

The cause of death for the victim is not being released at this time. Detectives are interviewing family and friends of Woodburn, attempting to retrace his whereabouts before he disappeared.

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