COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office has identified a woman discovered in East Fork White River on March 27 around 1:30 p.m. Coroner Clayton Nolting said the woman was identified as Betsy J. Gehrt, 59, of Columbus.
Routine attempts to identify the woman failed, so the coroner’s office collaborated with Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and the Indiana State Police laboratory to positively identify the woman using fingerprints and DNA.
The body was found in the river by a kayaker, who called 911. Nolting stated a forensic autopsy was performed and completed on March 29th at Columbus Regional Hospital and is awaiting toxicology results.
The coroner’s office earlier described the woman as a middle-age white female who was found clothed, and her clothing did not indicate she had been kayaking or swimming. No identification was found with the body, according to the coroner’s office.
Nolting said, “The work put in by all agencies involved shows the dedication and commitment to serving the citizens of Bartholomew County. The coroner’s office extends its condolences to the family of Ms. Gehrt.”
The coroner’s thanked the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Natural Resources, ISP lab, FBI, and CPD ILP unit for their assistance in this investigation.
