(NewsNation) — Partial remains found in Northern California belong to a woman missing from the San Francisco Bay Area since January, authorities said.

In a statement Friday from the city of Oakley, a forensic odontologist identified the remains as those of Alexis Gabe, 24.

The remains were discovered Thursday by a resident in the town of Plymouth, about 40 miles east of Sacramento.

Gabe was presumably killed Jan. 26, and the main suspect in her murder case, her ex-boyfriend Marshall Curtis Jones, is deceased. 

Jones died in June at the hands of Seattle-area police officers who were attempting to arrest him for murder.

In late September, the Gabe family switched their focus from finding information on Gabe’s whereabouts to seeking information leading to her remains while still maintaining a $100,000 reward.

Search evidence included a note matching Jones’ handwriting with driving directions to a remote forest about two hours from his home.

In a letter to Alexis’ family, police say they believe Jones “used the directions to dispose of Alexis’ body.”

“Due to the nature of the condition of Alexis’ remains, and the lack of her full body, we do believe the remainder of her remains are scattered in various areas,” the city of Oakley’s statement said.

Officials said they would provide more details at a news conference early next week.

The Associated Press contributed to the report.