Authorities in Massachusetts have recovered a body believed to be that of 43-year-old Jill Kloppenburg, who had been missing for over a year. The body was found underneath the garage floor in Tyngsborough after the suspect, Shawn Sullivan, allegedly confessed to a friend about committing murder.
Discovery of the Body
Shawn Sullivan, 40, is facing charges of murder and other related offenses. According to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan, the victim’s remains were discovered in a shallow grave beneath a garage floor after Sullivan reportedly admitted to killing a woman named Jill to a friend.
Authorities are still referring to the victim as “Jane Doe” until the body is positively identified, but investigators believe the remains belong to Kloppenburg, who was last seen in January 2025.
Kloppenburg’s Disappearance
Kloppenburg was last seen leaving her home on the 700 block of Broadway in Lowell on January 2, 2025. Nearly two weeks later, activity on her cellphone ceased. She was officially reported missing on February 26, 2025.
Sullivan’s Confession and the Investigation
On March 10, 2026, a friend of Sullivan’s contacted the Nashua Police Department in New Hampshire, informing them that Sullivan had admitted to killing a woman named Jill in January 2025. Investigators quickly connected Sullivan’s statements to Kloppenburg after learning that the two had been friends.
Authorities conducted a search on Sunday, March 12, 2026, at a home on Audrey Avenue in Tyngsborough, where Sullivan had previously lived. Using ground-penetrating radar, they identified an area under a two-car garage where something appeared to be buried. After carefully digging through the area, they discovered a body wrapped in plastic.
Ongoing Investigation and Charges
A medical examiner is currently working to confirm the victim’s identity and determine the cause and manner of death. In addition to the murder charge, Sullivan is also facing charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, as well as improper disposal of human remains.
Sullivan is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday, March 14, 2026.
Reactions from Friends and Family
Friends of Kloppenburg expressed their concern after being unable to reach her, with one friend telling local news that Kloppenburg had always kept in touch no matter what was going on in her life.
Kloppenburg’s uncle, Steven Kloppenburg, shared his grief on Facebook after being notified by police about the discovery of the remains. He acknowledged his niece’s struggles with drug addiction and her tendency to associate with violent individuals but expressed sorrow over her loss.
“Though we were not particularly close, I find myself walking around since with eyes watery, on the edge of tears, for her loss, for what could have been,” Steven Kloppenburg wrote. “There will be a resolution.”
