THPD: Missing elderly woman's SUV pulled from icy water

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News

Officials are now suspecting foul play, as a dead body of a woman was found inside a submerged vehicle registered to local missing woman this afternoon.

In fact, the missing person case involving 77-year-old Alice “Anita' Oswald – missing since early November --- has now become a homicide investigation, Assistant Chief Shawn Keen, of the Terre Haute Police Department said. He added that investigators do not believe the woman drove the vehicle into the water.

“The purpose of the search was to locate evidence related to the disappearance of Alice Oswald,” Keen said during a press conference held at THPD headquarters tonight – which was broadcast by local news stations.

Multiple agencies assisted Terre Haute Police Department investigators in recovering the SUV from icy waters in southeastern Vigo County this afternoon. It was a search that spanned two days and was reportedly a challenging effort, especially considering below- freezing outdoor temperatures.

Oswald's burgandy 2014 Honda CR-V was pulled from underneath layers of ice near East Moyer Drive and Tabortown Street around 3:30 p.m., as well as the body of a dead woman ---yet to be postively identified, pending autopsy results in the morning.

THPD Chief John Plasse said investigators will exhaust all means available to bring the suspects to justice.

"We will not stop our efforts until they are in custody," he said, noting the ice divers drilled through on the lake was 10-inches thick.

The autopsy is scheduled for 11 a.m.

DNR Conservation Officers, Sugar Creek and Otter Creek, Riley Fire Departments and Vigo County EMA assisted at the scene.​

More information will be provided as it becomes available.
--
See related story