Human remains found earlier this week in the mangroves of Fort Myers Beach were identified as an 82-year-old woman who had been missing since Hurricane Ian swept through Florida more than three months ago.
The remains of Ilonka Knes were found Tuesday by a debris removal company cleaning a nearby area on Estero Island, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said at a news conference Thursday morning.
Knes was identified through dental records, and the county medical examiner determined her cause of death to be accidental drowning, Marceno said.
"I hope this discovery can bring the family some closure," Marceno said.
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Knes had not been seen since Ian slammed into southwest Florida on Sept. 28, 2022, as a Category 4 hurricane.
Neighbors said Knes lived not far from where her remains were found. Marceno said most homes in the area were completely destroyed.
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Deputies had been called to do a well-being check on Oct. 7 and were unable to located Knes. She was declared missing on Oct. 15.
Marceno said the area where the remains of Knes were found are impassible by boat and not visible by the air.
Marceno said Knes was one of two people classified as missing from the storm. One man, James "Denny" Hurst, remains missing.
Her death brings the total number of casualties in the county from the storm to 74, the sheriff said, with the statewide total deaths now at 140.
"Our major crime unit is working every single day on the one person missing," Marceno said. "We pray that we can find that person."
