Dental records confirm body is Raley-McCluskey's, DA's office says

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Human remains found by Modesto police in a shallow grave near Groveland last week are those of Dena Raley-McCluskey, who disappeared eight years ago, the Stanislaus County District Attorney�s office announced this morning.

Dental records confirmed the identity of Raley-McCluskey, who was 36 in 1999, prosecutors say.

Russell Jones, 47, of Modesto was formally charged with murder at an arraignment Monday and remains behind bars with bail set at $2 million.

Unknown - MAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER IN MISSING PERSON CASE � MODESTO, CA � Modesto Police Homicide Detectives arrested a 47-year-old Modesto resident, Russell Jones, and booked him last night on murder charges in connection with the disappearance of 36-year-old Dena Raley.� � Dena Raley was reported missing to the Modesto Police Department in October of 1999.� She was last seen in Modesto on October 10th.� Dena�s vehicle was found abandoned a few days later in Modesto.� Modesto Police Officers and Detectives launched an investigation and immediately entered Dena into the national missing persons database.� However, they were unable to locate Dena or determine what happened to her.� � Over the following eight years Modesto Police detectives continued their investigation into Dena�s disappearance.� Those who knew Dena, and were with her before her disappearance, were interviewed and re-interviewed multiple times.� Search warrants were conducted along with follow-up on tips and investigative leads developed over the years.� Dena�s family and friends have also been very active in the effort to find her. � In the last several weeks, Investigators and members of the Modesto Police Cold Case Unit have developed information which led them to believe Dena was murdered and that Jones was the suspect.� This information led them to a location where they believe Dena�s body was buried.� On Wednesday, October 31, 2007 detectives discovered the remains of a human body at the location.� The remains have not been positively identified but are believed to be those of Dena Raley. � Russell Jones was arrested at the Modesto Police Department on November 1st and was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on murder charges at about 9:00 pm last night.� The investigation is continuing and a press conference will be held today at 2:00 pm at the Modesto Police Department.� Dena�s family has been invited to the press conference as well.