SPENCER, S.D. — Authorities announced Saturday evening that the body of a missing Sioux Falls woman has been located near Spencer.
The body of Kay Flittie, 60, was located in McCook County by a search party Saturday approximately three miles east of her last known location.
According to Hanson County Sheriff Brandon Wingert, the body was discovered by a volunteer and reported to their squad leader, who informed a command post that was set up at Fuel Mart.
Flittie was last seen alive at 7 p.m. on April 5 near mile marker 352 in Hanson County, or just west of the Spencer exit, according to the Hanson County Sheriff's Office. Her family had told police that she was traveling to see a relative in Arkansas before she went missing.
No indication was provided by officials regarding why Flittie's vehicle was located in Hanson County.
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As the investigation shifted away from Sioux Falls and toward Hanson County, authorities gathered a search party Saturday composed of citizens as well as local, county and state officials to search for Flittie.
In the air, planes and drones flew around a 20-mile radius, while others on the ground walked fields and farm properties in a four-mile stretch of land to the east and west where authorities believed Flittie may have been located.
Bob Jellis, a cousin of Flittie's from Sioux Falls, brought a dirtbike out to rural Spencer to help in the search.
"I thought we'd do what we could to help out," Jellis said early in the search.
He was amazed by how many people came out to assist.
"It's really nice to see all the people show up," Jellis noted. "Talking to her family, they've been out here for a week now. ... I was so surprised over at the truck stop this morning with all the crowd, it's really nice to see."
Wingert expressed his immense gratitude to the hundreds of volunteers and officials that came to assist in the search to help bring closure to Flittie's family and friends.
"I was truly amazed and proud to be a member of this community. To see on Easter weekend people, not only first responders, come out and give their time," Wingert told the Mitchell Republic in a phone call. "We had over 122 volunteers that came out to help on a holiday weekend. That just truly goes to show how great the people of South Dakota are."
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In addition to the volunteers, officials from the sheriff's offices, fire departments and search and rescue teams from Davison, Douglas, Hanson and McCook counties contributed, as well as the South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.
"On behalf of the family and the Hanson County Sheriff's Office we truly thank everybody that came out today," Wingert concluded.
It is unknown if foul play is suspected in Flittie's death.
