By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- After almost a year, the family of a Massena woman whose decomposed body was discovered near the Industrial Park still have no answers as to how she died and how she got there.

On Aug. 29, 2014, state troopers investigated the discovery of what they described at the time as a “partially wrapped body” in the wooded area just across from the NYSARC bottle redemption center, near state Route 420.

The cadaver turned out to be Lacey Yekel, 25, who had been missing for months.

“It’s not that I’m losing faith in the BCI (state police Bureau of Criminal Investigation), it’s that there’s been no progress,” said Yekel’s mother Bonnie Lamay. “I’m really devastated … I miss her dearly.”

New York State Police BCI Capt. Robert LaFountain said investigators still don’t know how Yekel died or who put her body in those woods.

“The manner and cause of death remain under investigation,” LaFountain said. “I can tell you it remains an active investigation.

“The manner of death could be natural, could be accidental, could be a homicide or suicide. Until our investigation is complete and we have the facts, we are not going to make an announcement or determination.”

LaFountain was concerned about releasing too many details. He would not comment on how long police believe Yekel was dead, when she was last seen alive or elaborate on the characterization of Yekel’s body being “partially wrapped.” He said if someone related to the case gave a statement, they could just be parroting details from a news report.

In October of last year, Dr. Michael Sikirica performed an autopsy on Yekel at Albany Medical Center. LaFountain would not say what it revealed, if anything.

Lamay said police told her the case could prove difficult to solve.

“They told me we may never know the cause of her death,” Lamay said. “I have no idea what happened.”

Yekel’s cousin Bobbie Jo French of Massena said she is still distraught over her cousin’s death, who she helped raise like a sister.

“I’m upset … we don’t know what happened, who did it,” French said.

She said she gets frustrated with the investigation because it is moving so slowly.

“I feel like justice isn’t being done,” French said.

Both French and Lamay said another homicide case from St. Lawrence County helps them continue to believe that they could get answers one day.

They each cited the case of Jason Wing, who was murdered and buried in Norfolk in 2010. In 2013, Wing’s killer, Dustin Trimm, was arrested and is now serving 25 years in prison.

“That gives me some hope because it was four years later,” French said.

After initial news reports dealing with the discovery of Yekel’s then-unidentified body, French recalled that a gut instinct told her it was her cousin.

“I remember the day they found the body. We hadn’t heard from Lacey in forever. I felt in my heart it was Lacey … it was instinct,” French said.

She said there had been rumors abound that Yekel was in California, but she didn’t believe them.

“Lacey would have called,” she said.

Lamay said she remembers her daughter as a sweet person who was willing to help people in need.

“She had a very sweet personality. She always had a smile on her face. She was always helping people. She was a great kid, she really was,” Lamay said, adding that some may recall seeing her behind the counter at On A Roll Deli, where she was employed before her death.

Yekel’s family and friends are planning a memorial service for what would have been her 27th birthday, Aug. 27 at 3 p.m. French said anyone who wishes to remember Yekel can attend a balloon release ceremony at the site where her body was found on Commerce Drive.

LaFountain and Lamay each say they urge anyone with information on the case to pass what they know to police.

“If anybody out there knows anything, I wish they would come forward,” Lamay said. “She didn’t go into the woods herself. Somebody put her there.”

“We are still looking for the public to provide whatever information they may have concerning this case,” LaFountain said.

He said they can call the state police Major Crimes Unit in Ray Brook at (518)897-2000 or their local state police barracks.