Using ground-penetrating radar, West Virginia State Police found what appear to be human remains near the home of Bonnie Cale, who disappeared more than seven years ago.

First Sgt. J.A. Wise said the remains were found buried in an outbuilding behind the Cale's residence. An extensive search Wednesday had approximately 20 state police officers, multiple members of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Team, two radar operators from West Virginia University and cadaver dogs. Wise said searchers were onsite from 7:30 a.m. Wednesday until about 3 a.m. today, the discovery was made about 2:45 p.m.

Wise said the remains will be tested to see if they are indeed Cale's.

"I don't know how long it's going to take," Wise said this morning. "I can't even give a window."

Because of the availability of new technology, Wise said a search warrant was issued to allow them a chance to look in some places they couldn't before. The decision was made to utilize this equipment after a couple months of reviewing the case file, according to Wise. The ground-penetrating radar allows images of what is below the surface of the earth to be displayed thereby helping investigators find things buried in the earth without removing the soil.

The site has been secured, and the next step is to positively identify the remains, Wise said. The state medical examiner or other medical officials will handle that, he said.

In addition to the manpower, state police brought in a backhoe, ATVs, a generator, GPS units and a command center trailer to the property.

A search warrant for the property was signed Tuesday, police said. The warrant couldn't immediately be obtained because the courthouse was closed for Veterans Day.

Bonnie Lueann Woods-Cale has been missing since March 2002. Her vehicle was found in Webster County on Birch River Road about nine miles south of Cowen.

Cale, her husband, Scott, and their five children lived on Licking Creek Road. Her body has never been recovered, although Sgt. R.L. Stump has said police consider the case a possible homicide.

Wise said Wednesday police routinely relook at old cases to see if a fresh perspective yields new information. The property was searched in the past, but not as intensively.

"We reviewed the entire case file and listened to all of the interviews again," Wise said. "We have enough to do a more extensive search of this property."

The review occurred during the past six months, Wise said.

"There are a couple areas of interest we need to look at," he said, declining to be more specific.

Wise said the Cale case is considered "cold," but that doesn't mean police have given up.

"This investigation has been ongoing since 2002," he said. "It never really ends. We never quit or just put them on a shelf and forget about them."