Body of missing Indiana woman who vanished in 2009 found in retention pond

KOKOMO, Ind. — Authorities in Indiana said a body recovered from a retention pond last week belongs to a woman who vanished nearly 11 years ago.

According to the Howard County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the Kokomo pond Wednesday afternoon after someone called 911 to report a submerged vehicle. Authorities recovered the car, a 2005 Cadillac CTS with Ohio tag "MS ESTER," from the pond and discovered a body inside.

A preliminary autopsy and investigation revealed that the remains likely belong to Ester L. Westenbarger, a Kokomo woman last seen leaving an area bar in November 2009, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release Thursday. At the time, authorities said they still needed to confirm the identity using DNA and dental records.

Mathilda Rood, identified by WTOL as Westenbarger's daughter, said in a Monday Facebook post that the remains had been positively identified as Westenbarger.

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Cox Media Group