JEFFERSON, Ohio - Ashtabula County Prosecutor Nicholas Iarocci told reporters on Wednesday, “This is beyond all sensibilities when you find bones at a crime scene.”

Iarocci's declaration came at a news conference authorities where officially announced that human remains found during the search of property in Ashtabula County are those of missing Warren woman Alesha Bell.

Ashtabula County Sheriff Bill Johnson characterized Bell's death as a homicide, as he revealed that the County Coroner and Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory determined that bone fragments found in a fire pit were the remains of the 18-year-old who was last seen outside her Warren home on July 23.

Sheriff Johnson says DNA evidence collected from the scene and the mother of Bell was submitted to a regional forensic science laboratory for testing.

"According to the forensic testing it is 99.999 percent assured that it is her, " Sheriff Johnson said.

The remains were found on August 20 while drug agents were searching the Roaming Shores home of James Brooks, who has since been charged with abuse of a corpse and other charges related to the drug investigation.

Brooks remains jailed on $700,000 bond while a grand jury considers evidence in the case.

Ashtabula County Coroner Pamela Lancaster said that her office notified Tiffany Knepper Wednesday night that the remains were those of her missing daughter.

“It is quite difficult. Families often hold out hope that this is not their child as a victim,” said Lancaster.

21 News anchor Bob Black was the first to report on Wednesday that the remains were Bell's after her mother said she would only talk to Bob about her daughter.

Although authorities are calling the case a homicide, Lancaster says it may take a long time to determine what caused Alesha's death, and admitted that sometimes a cause of death may be ruled as undetermined.

The Sheriff was asked if authorities anticipated any new charges against James Brooks.

"The investigation is continuing, if it leads to that I'm sure that the prosecutor will process that, we'll cross that bridge when we get there," said Johnson.

Sheriff Johnson says his department is working with Warren City Police on the case, adding that there is still a large amount of evidence to process in the case.

The Sheriff expressed concerns that releasing too much information would have a negative impact on the case.

Both the Coroner and Sheriff Johnson asked members of the media and others to respect the privacy of Bell's family as they go through the grieving process.

Sheriff Johnson is not ruling out the possibility that they could find evidence of other victims among the remains.

The Coroner told reporters that it will be at least two more weeks before she receives more evidence from the forensic lab, but says it could be months before they determine if there have been other victims.

Although James Brooks has not been charged with killing Alesha Bell, Investigators say that he has admitted spending time with her in Warren on the day she was last seen.

A couple from Farrell, Pennsylvania told 21 News that their daughter, Jasmaine Smith, was also known to have contact with Brooks.

Smith has been missing since June 5th.

Authorities have not indicated if Smith's disappearance is part of their investigation.

Stay connected with 21 News and wfmj.com for the latest on this developing story.

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