The District Attorney’s Office in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, has confirmed that human remains found on Lenox Mountain were those of 66-year-old Susan Lockwood. The retired nurse from Richmond, Massachusetts, had been missing since October 2023.
Lockwood was reported missing on October 30, setting off a thorough search by local and state authorities. Despite using infrared cameras, drones, and the State Police Air Wing unit, a significant development in the case did not occur until early February.
Lockwood’s car was initially found on Reservoir Road, near her usual hiking trails. This suggested that she had been in the area before she disappeared.
On February 9, 2024, a hiker and their dog located a hiking boot with human remains off a trail on Lenox Mountain. The dog had detected a scent that led them off the path to the boot.
Following this discovery, the Massachusetts State Police increased their search efforts in an area already thoroughly investigated in an attempt to locate the missing woman.
On February 11 and 12, the State Police Special Emergency Response Team conducted additional searches, unearthing more evidence, including clothing and human remains, at the foot of a cliff.
A completely intact skull was among the items found and, along with the other evidence, was submitted to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for examination. By February 14, dental records definitively identified the remains as those of Susan Lockwood.
The investigation into the circumstances and cause of Lockwood’s death is still underway, and authorities have ruled out foul play. The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office has kept in touch with Lockwood’s husband, keeping him informed about the developments of the case.
Lockwood, known for her love of hiking in the Reservoir Road and Lenox Mountain areas, had been dealing with anxiety prior to her disappearance, according to her husband, Dan Davison. He disclosed that she had been on a month-long waiting list for treatment at Berkshire Medical Center.
Expressing gratitude for the relentless efforts of the law enforcement and emergency response personnel involved in the search, District Attorney Timothy Shugrue also conveyed his deepest condolences to Lockwood’s husband, family, and friends, acknowledging the challenging closure brought by the identification of her remains.
