Missing North Carolina woman’s body found entombed in concrete in her basement

LINVILLE FALLS, N.C. (WNCN) — The remains of a 70-year-old North Carolina woman missing for six weeks were found entombed in concrete in the basement of her home, according to officials in Avery County.

On July 30, a missing person report was filed with the Avery County Sheriff’s Office for Lynn Gay Keene.

Keene’s family said they last heard from her on June 14 and she was last known to be at her home in Linville Falls.

Avery County officials said detectives went to Keene’s home and noticed her 2000 Lincoln Town car was not at the residence. On Aug. 2, the Cherokee Police Department reported to the Avery County Sheriff’s Office that Keene’s vehicle had been located abandoned on Blue Wing Road in Cherokee.

Blue Wing Road is approximately 100 miles from Linville Falls.

The car was found locked with the keys under the driver’s seat.

Avery County detectives secured a search warrant for Keene’s home and performed a search with the help of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (SBI). Detectives and SBI agents found human remains entombed in concrete in the basement during the search.

Dental records were used to identify the remains as that of Keene, county officials said.

An autopsy determined Lynn Keene’s death was a homicide.

Shortly after, Keene’s live-in caretaker, Elizabeth Freeman, was named a person of interest by the sheriff’s office and SBI.

The Keene family had hired Freeman to take care of the 70-year-old.

Avery County officials said Freeman may also be going by the name Elizabeth Carserino.

Freeman is 53 years old, stands 5-feet-4-inches tall, and weighs about 200 pounds. Freeman had shoulder-length sandy blond hair.

Currently, Elizabeth Freeman is wanted on charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, financial card theft and identity theft.

Elizabeth Freeman has not been located and is wanted for questioning.