MONTICELLO, N.Y. -- Forty-two years ago, Flora Stevens was reported missing. For decades, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office was unable to crack the case. But in 2015 they received a disturbing inquiry.

New York State Police investigators wanted to know if the skeletal remains they found in Orange County belonged to Stevens.

“There was always a chance,” said Detective Richard Morgan.

Morgan started working with several federal, state and local agencies to find any of Flora’s relatives to see if they could provide DNA for a possible match. He was unable to find living family members, but did come across some interesting information.

"There was a female in Lowell, Mass., that had the same date of birth and same [Social Security number], same first name, different last name,” said Morgan.

Morgan and Detective Sgt. Ed Clouse found that woman, now going by Flora Harris, at a nursing home. Flora, who is now 78, has dementia, so they used old pictures to jog her memory, to confirm she was the woman they were looking for.

"We showed her an enhanced picture of herself, and she pointed at the picture and said the word 'me,' " said Clouse.  

Sheriff’s representatives said cracking the case gives them hope, and they’re hoping it will do the same for others in the community.

"It’s a good day for the office, it’s a good day for our friends and partners in the state police who assisted us with this,” said Morgan.

"It’s good for us to know that we can solve cold cases, and it also allows people in the community to know that no matter what, we don’t stop looking,” said Clouse.