http://wjz.com/topstories/local_story_261142116.html
(WJZ) ABERDEEN, Md. Police in Harford County are checking dental records trying to identify the remains of two women found murdered in a field near Aberdeen.
WJZ's Suzanne Collins spoke with county detectives who are investigating possible links between the murders and the discoveries of two other women found dead this year.
Investigators say the deaths coincide with a string of violence against women, many of which appear to have happened under similar circumstances.
The mother of one woman who survived a recent attack in Harford County says her daughter was looking for drugs with a man when she was attacked. That man, Charles Burns has since been arrested and charged in connection with six attacks on women.
"They were out looking for drugs, but she said he had wound up raping her in a grave yard down here in Perryman," says the victim's mother who chose not to be identified.
Five other women have survived violent sexual attacks in Harford County this year.
In every case of attempted murder or assault against Burns, police say the women were prostitutes and that Burns went beyond what was agreed upon before the encounter. The criminal reports say Burns forcibly sodomized the women and chocked them at the same time.
Police say they have a suspect in custody in connection with at least one of the murders, but they will not say whether that suspect is Charles Burns.
The State's Attorney said during a news conference Monday he expects a grand jury to present an indictment later this week or next week for the suspect. That indictment is being presented in the case of the death of Lily Phelps.
Phelps' body was discovered in Havre de Grace in June, and police believe that murder could be related to the discovery of the body of Sheila Ann Turner, who was found dead in a field near Perryman last May.
The bodies of the two women found last Friday have not been identified. They were discovered just 200 yards away from where Turner's body was located. The remains found on Friday were skeletal and were believed to have been dumped there months ago.
The Harford County Sheriff's Office is also continuing the investigation of five females reported missing earlier this year. Originally, Sheriff's Deputies were searching for nine females reported as missing persons. During the past few months, four of the nine females originally listed as missing, have been located or returned to their families.
As of today, five of the original nine women remain unaccounted for and investigators are looking for clues as to their whereabouts.
Those individuals currently listed as missing by their families are:
Jennifer Lynn Blankenship, 25, from the 100 block of Spesutia Road in Aberdeen. She was last seen in Aberdeen on June 4, 2006.
Cynthia Ann Briggs, 58, of the 900 block of Arncliffe Court, Baltimore. Briggs was last seen in the 1700 block of Castleton Road in Darlington on September 17, 2004.
Monica Patricia Gonsalves, 24, of the 600 block of Sequoia Drive, Edgewood. Gonsalves was last seen on April 13, 2006 in Edgewood.
Ashley Nicole Hess, 17, from the 200 block of Hopewell Road in Churchville. She was last seen on May 18, 2006 at her home.
Erika Nicole Shaffner, 17, of the 4000 block of Conowingo Road in Darlington. Shaffner has been missing since September 25, 2003 when she was last seen in the Darlington area.
Of particular interest to investigators is the whereabouts of Jennifer Blankenship who frequented the Aberdeen area and disappeared two days after the body of Turner was found in a remote field near Perryman in Harford County.
At this time it is not known if foul play is related to the disappearance of any of the women. Anyone with information regarding any of the missing women is asked to contact the Harford County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division at 410-836-5431. All information will be kept strictly confidential.