Body found in Loosahatchie River - Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

Police: Woman found in river was murdered

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FRAYSER, TN -

(WMC-TV) – Investigators are working to learn more about the woman who was found dead in the Loosahatchie River Thursday.  They are investigating the case as a homicide.

Chip Washington, public information officer for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, tells Action News 5 the woman's body was located in the river by Watkins Street west of Thomas Street. He says they are calling the woman's death a homicide, but they have not determined whether the woman was murdered at the river or if the crime happened elsewhere.

"We received information from a passerby in the area, who looked in the water and saw what they appeared to think was a body," explained Washington.

It took almost four hours, but the body has been recovered from the river and was taken to a forensics lab for an autopsy.

Action News 5's Nick Kenney is on the scene. He reports North Watkins Street is shut down.

Family members of Karen Denise Thomas, who has been missing for one week, are at the scene. Investigators have not whether the woman found in the river is Thomas.

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