Possible Break in a Very Cold Murder Case
HERCULANEUM, MO ( KPLR ) - The family of a Festus woman missing for more than 33 years is speaking out after police in Herculaneum uncover a possible break in the case. Genevia Adams disappeared in July of 1976. Police believe she was likely murdered. Wednesday, one of Genevia's ten kids told us he hopes the possible break leads to finding his mom. Adams was 53 years old back in 1976. She last seen leaving the Artesian Lounge in Herculaneum with a man named Jimmie lee Mills.

Mills told police he dropped Adams off at a Crystal City donut shop. He was never charged.

The case went cold for years until Herculaneum police re-opened it a few years ago. New leads took them to about 100 acres of private property in Perry County near the Mississippi River.

Last Friday, we told you authorities searched the land with cadaver dogs. Authorities say the dogs hit in two different areas of a sinkhole indicating there could be human remains there.

The oldest of Genevia's kids, 67 year old Harold Crump, said Wednesday in an interview in his Herculaneum home that he thinks about his mom every day.

"If she is dead I hope that they do find her. It will kind of be a relief to all of us kids," said Harold.

He added, "At least we'll know where she's at. And we'll be able to put her in her final resting place."

Herculaneum Police Chief Chris Pigg told us, "We have a lot of hope- I hope for the family. I know they'd like to know what happened to mom back in 1976 and so would we. I hope for them that we do make a break in the case and find something."

Chief Pigg says he's "pretty confident" that the discovery last Friday is related to the Adams case and he's now planning more searches of the Perry County land.

Pigg told us while Mills has not been named a suspect in this case, he does have a criminal history and is currently facing an unrelated gun charge in Reynolds County, Missouri.