Human remains discovered by a hiker in a New Mexico national forest have been identified as those of Melissa Casias, a 53-year-old Los Alamos National Laboratory employee who had been missing for nearly a year, authorities announced.

New Mexico State Police confirmed the identification in a statement released over the weekend. Casias, a resident of Taos, New Mexico, was last seen on June 26, 2023, walking eastbound along a state highway.

The remains were found last week by a hiker in the forest. According to reports, a handgun was discovered alongside the remains, though authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances of the discovery.

Casias worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory, a federal research facility that conducts nuclear weapons and national security research. The lab is located in northern New Mexico and employs thousands of scientists, engineers and support staff.

The discovery concludes a search that lasted nearly a year since Casias was reported missing. State police have not yet released information about the cause of death or whether they are treating the case as suspicious.

Los Alamos National Laboratory has not issued a public statement regarding the identification of their employee's remains.