Human remains unearthed by authorities in the Dartmouth backyard of murder suspect Donald Eugene Webb's wife might belong to the long-missing fugitive, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Thursday.

"As part of our ongoing efforts to locate long-time fugitive Donald Eugene Webb, an evidentiary search took place in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts and what we believe to be human remains were recovered," Kristen Setera, an FBI spokeswoman said. "We're in the process of determining if the remains belong to Donald Eugene Webb."

Update: Body of fugitive Donald Eugene Webb found in wife's backyard



Webb went missing in 1980 after, according to police, he shot and killed a Pennsylvania police chief during a traffic stop on Dec. 4.



The rental car Webb was driving at the time he allegedly shot Gregory Adams of the Saxonburg Borough Police Department was discovered two weeks later at a motel in Warwick, Rhode Island. No trace of him has been discovered since.



If alive, Webb would be in his 80s.



Last month, the FBI released new photographs of Webb and offered a $100,000 reward for any information leading to his arrest or the discovery of his remains.





Thursday's search marked the first public development in the case since the issuing of the photographs and reward.



Members of the FBI and state police from both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania gathered in the backyard of Webb's wife Thursday and began digging, according to The Associated Press.



The issuing of the reward last month came on the heels of a lawsuit filed against Webb's wife, Lillian, by Adams' widow, alleging the former may have hidden Webb in a secret, previously unknown room in the couple's home. According to the AP, Webb could have hidden in that room for more than a decade.



Mary Ann Jones, 64, accuses Lillian and Webb's son, Stanley, of wrongful death-murder and two civil conspiracy claims -- accessory after the fact and hindering apprehension of a murderer.





