Douglas County farmer finds human remains belonging to a female

In the search for a Minnesota college student, investigators are examining human remains found Monday by a Douglas County farmer.

Laura Ann Schwendemann, 18, a freshman at the University of Minnesota, Morris, has been missing since she was last seen on the night of Oct 14 in Alexandria, Minn.

The farmer in Orange Township found the remains in a field he was harvesting on Monday afternoon and called the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies confirmed the remains belong to a female in her late teens to early 20s. But authorities said tests have to be completed before they can identify the body.

In a statement Monday, Douglas County Sheriff's Office officials said the investigation into Schwendemann's disappearance is "still active and ongoing."

For the past two weeks, more than a dozen law enforcement agencies have conducted extensive ground and air searches for the woman, who has lived in Hancock and Starbuck, Minn.

Residents in Starbuck held a vigil Sunday night to pray for her return.

Mary Lynn Smith