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Lauren Dumolo's father hoping authorities make investigation their top priority

Searching for Lauren Dumolo
Posted at 5:45 PM, Oct 14, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-14 19:19:23-04

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Update: 10/14 7:15pm

On Thursday, detectives received a tip that Lauren had ties to a particular city within Maryland.

Detectives began contacting dental professionals in that area and located a dental business that did in fact treat Lauren.

It was determined that the skeletal remains did not belong to Lauren Dumolo.

Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit and Missing Person Unit confirmed the remains belonged to Briana Tennant (DOB 9/17/1985).

Briana’s family has been notified and her family told detectives they hadn’t communicated with her in months, and never reported her as missing.


Original:

More than a year after Cape Coral woman Lauren Dumolo went missing, authorities now believe they have a promising lead.

“It makes it real,” said Lauren's father, Paul Dumolo.

On Thursday, Paul Dumolo spoke with Fox 4 after investigators found remains off Pine Island Road and are now hoping dental records will legitimize that they belong to Lauren.

“We can’t seem at this time to find, and I don’t remember, going back 12-13 years what dentist she went to,” said Dumolo on Thursday.

Cape Coral Police are asking dentists who have worked with Lauren in the past 10 years to come forward.

Paul Dumolo told Fox 4 that he fears if dental records don't work out, the case will fall into the hands of the FBI.

"...If it comes down to that they need to do a DNA comparison can the FBI please push this to the top and get this done as soon as possible,” said Paul Dumolo.

Paul says if they don't make it a top priority, he was told it could take anywhere from six months to one year for the DNA comparison to come back with the results they need.

For Paul, those six months might as well be six million.

“That would destroy me. Waiting that long to find out and to be actually able to fly down to Florida take my daughter’s remains and give her a proper burial...she deserves that,“ he said.

Paul Dumolo said he is working closely with investigators and says he is 99% sure the remains they found in Cape Coral belong to his daughter Lauren.

For a community that never stopped looking and a father who wants to lay his daughter to rest, each day brings with it the opportunity to reach the end of the road.