The Columbia Police Department confirmed Tuesday that human remains recently found at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park belong to missing woman Mengqi Ji.┬а The department announced the news Tuesday afternoon. Joining Mayor Brian Treece were police Chief Geoff Jones and Assistant Chief Jeremiah Hunter.┬аThe remains were found March 25 by a hiker in an isolated area of the park. Dental records were compared to the remains and were a match, Treece said. He recognized the efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and other public entities that aided the investigation, as well as┬аthe public. "It is the public that ultimately helped bring closure to Ji's family," Treece said. "This identification is the next step in a very thorough and continuing investigation. Because (investigators) never gave up, the victim is named."