KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City police have declared an elderly woman's disappearance a homicide although her body was never found.

Shirley McKeown, 71, went missing in August 2002.

McKeown had agreed to take care of her daughter Bridget's car while she was out of town. Ten days later, authorities found the car behind a vacant house at East 33rd Street and Highland Avenue, covered by a tarp and branches.

There was no body found in the car, but police said there was so much blood in the vehicle that no one could have survived.

Authorities followed up several leads but were never able to get enough evidence to make an arrest.

Bridget McKeown said she's long since come to terms with the fact her mother is dead, but she'll never give up on finding out what happened to her and making sure those responsible pay dearly for what they took from her.

Anyone with information that could help police prove what happened to Shirley McKeown is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Or you can call the homicide division at 816-234-5043.