What’s really going on with that St. Louis backyard the FBI just excavated, and what did they find?

News broke recently that the FBI was excavating a St. Louis backyard and theories ran wild about why they were there and what they were looking for. One TikToker even claimed the evacuation could relate to a previously unknown serial killer on the scale of Jeffrey Dahmer, or that there was a mass grave there, or even babies buried on the property.

According to St. Louis news outlet KSDK, the excavation started on April 10 this year and ended a few hours later. The FBI along with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were reportedly there as part of an investigation into the disappearance of Bre’Ayn Lee Miller, a woman who went missing nearly five years ago. 

Miller was last seen on July 26, 2020, after her boyfriend dropped her off near South Grand Boulevard and Delor Street in St. Louis following an argument. She has not been heard from since.

In October 2023, investigators, acting on a tip, also searched the backyard of Miller’s family’s former home. Using ground-penetrating radar, they identified areas of interest and conducted excavations, digging approximately two feet deep and sifting through the soil. However, no remains or significant evidence were found during this search.

According to KSDK a 43-year-old man and a 39-year old woman at the recently excavated property were detained when the search warrant was executed, but details of who they are and why they were detained have not been disclosed. Neither have details about what led authorities to the St. Louis property connected to the Miller case.

Investigators reportedly found narcotics on the property, but nothing related to Miller’s disappearance.

Miller’s mother, Michele Miller, expressed mixed emotions about the search. She was not informed about the operation until after it concluded, learning about it through friends and social media. The renewed attention to her daughter’s case has reignited her hope for answers. “I was having hope that they wouldn’t find her there,” Michele said. “I want her to still be alive,” she added.

In October 2023, investigators, acting on a tip, searched the backyard of Miller’s family’s former home. Using ground-penetrating radar, they identified areas of interest and conducted excavations, digging approximately two feet deep and sifting through the soil. However, no remains or significant evidence were found during this search, according to St. Louis news Fox 2 Now.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has stated that they do not plan to return to the property where they recently dug but remain committed to following up on all credible leads. They encourage anyone with information about Bre’Ayn Miller’s disappearance to contact their Missing Persons Unit at 314-444-5738 or submit anonymous tips to CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS.