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Medical examiner positively identifies body pulled from river as Jacquelyn Ranallo
Medical examiner positively identifies body pulled from river as Jacquelyn Ranallo
RIVER HILLS -- The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office has positively identified a body found in the Milwaukee River in River Hills as Jacquelyn Ranallo -- the 53-year-old Mequon woman missing since mid-November.
The body was located Tuesday, May 24th by some cyclists -- near a pile of debris in the Milwaukee River under the Range Line bridge.
The cyclists flagged down a police sergeant on patrol in the area.
Body found in Milwaukee River in River Hills
The medical examiner made the positive identification Wednesday. It was made through dental records provided by Mequon police. There was a significant amount of decomposition to the body.
An autopsy was performed and no trauma was found.
The cause of death is pending further toxicology testing. Mequon police say the results will be available in six to eight weeks.
Mequon Police Chief Steve Graff said this in a statement to FOX6 News:
Ranallo's family has released this statement through Mequon police:
Jacquelyn Ranallo
FOX6's Brad Hicks kayaked in the Milwaukee River in February -- while working on an in-depth piece on Ranallo's disappearance. He and his photojournalist kayaked the river up to the area near County Line Road.
Jacquelyn Ranallo's home
Ranallo was last seen visiting her mother at an assisted living facility in Germantown.
In February, Brad Hicks was given exclusive access to Ranallo's home as part of his in-depth investigation. There was no sign of a struggle or forced entry. Many personal items, like credit cards, her driver's license and wallet were inside the home.
Ranallo's friend, Linda Schlosser called the discovery Tuesday "very sad," but said she hopes the discovery will give loved ones closure.
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She has seemingly vanished without a trace: What happened to Jacquelyn Ranallo?
She has seemingly vanished without a trace: What happened to Jacquelyn Ranallo?
Jacquelyn Ranallo
River Hills police said if Ranallo fell into the Milwaukee River near her home in Mequon, it would make sense that her remains would have drifted to the area near Range Line Road in River Hills.
"At that point, the Milwaukee River is on it's way to Lake Michigan and flows in the direction where it goes from West to East," River Hills Sgt. Milton Mrozak said.
Mequon police are leading this investigation.
Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.