Remains in Texas may belong to missing Elk City woman

ELK CITY, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma officials may be closer to solving a 26-year-old missing persons case.<br/><br/>Officials in Denton, Texas, believe the body of Melva Lynn Hudgens might be lying in an

Friday, October 29th 2004, 6:12 am

By: News On 6

ELK CITY, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma officials may be closer to solving a 26-year-old missing persons case.

Officials in Denton, Texas, believe the body of Melva Lynn Hudgens might be lying in an unmarked grave in Texas. She was 18 years old when she disappeared after accepting a ride from two men traveling on US Route 66.

Hudgens, who was originally from Elk City, Oklahoma, was walking along the road in Elk City with two other friends after having car trouble. She accepted the ride. Her two friends did not.

Denton County Sheriff's Investigator Don Britt says the description of Hudgens is similar to the that of a woman found murdered in Denton County. The body is expected to be exhumed in the next two weeks. Britt says DNA analysis could take a few months.

The body was shot seven times and found in a creek near a blacktop road between Denton and Sanger on April Tenth, 1978. Officials say the woman apparently was running away when she was shot.