Remains Identified as Missing Local Woman Veronica Casiato

Officials say skeletal remains found in Cherokee National Forest one year ago have been identified as Veronica Casiato, who was last seen leaving her dorm room near Lincoln Memorial University in April of 2017.

48-year-old Veronica Casiato, of Cosby, Tenn., disappeared on April 6, 2017 after leaving her Harrogate dorm room at about 12:30 p.m. to run errands. The last activity on her debit card was at a gas station near the LMU campus where she attended school.

Her white, four-door 2010 Toyota Corolla was found April 19, 2017 at a Cherokee National Forest trailhead parking area on Highway 165 near Eagle Gap in Monroe County. It may have been parked there as long as two weeks according to a witness. An extensive search of the rugged forest area near the car found no sign of Casiato.

In November 2017, hunters notified authorities that personal belongings of Casiato were found in Cherokee National Forest. TBI agents and a Campbell County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue team responded and found partial skeletal remains in a remote area of Eagle Gap. The Regional Forensic Center in Knoxville determined the remains were human. The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification performed DNA comparison on a sample and notified the TBI this week that results confirmed the remains were those of Casiato.

Known as “V” to her friends, Casciato worked at Food City in Gatlinburg, Dollywood and other local businesses through the years and had many friends in the area.

TBI says the investigation remains active and ongoing.

Photo: Steve SoaringOak Photography/Facebook