Found Deceased IN - Jacqueline Watts, 33, Columbus, 3 March 2017

[Gunslinging Granny]

Hi, though the parents address is known and is public information, I did not want to put it on the map, it felt wrong, this early, especially as we don't really know if this was just an accident.

WSer Theforeigner found the address and gave a partial number in the 300 block on that street, also stating that they lived "next to the river." I just hightlighted the area but I think you can deduce what part of the street they might live on.

HTH Also please note that the star placements are approximate - I believe Jackie's body was found on the sandbar in the middle. I just didn't want to cover that sand bar up so people could see it.

From this map, Jackie's body was found very close to her parents' backyard. It makes more sense that someone grabbed her outside her parents' house, dumped her body yards away on the sandbar, and then drove her car 1/2 mile and abandoned it. Now I wonder if the K9 only searched the area near the abandoned car and that's why it couldn't track Jackie's scent to find her body.

 

[Cilene]

Does anyone know how to change the date on google maps so we can see a view of the area in the winter?

I'm not sure it can be done on Google maps but it can be done on Google Earth. I think it is under history. A slider bar appears and you slide to different check point dates.

 

[Hiandmighty]

Hi, though the parents address is known and is public information, I did not want to put it on the map, it felt wrong, this early, especially as we don't really know if this was just an accident.

WSer Theforeigner found the address and gave a partial number in the 300 block on that street, also stating that they lived "next to the river." I just hightlighted the area but I think you can deduce what part of the street they might live on.

HTH Also please note that the star placements are approximate - I believe Jackie's body was found on the sandbar in the middle. I just didn't want to cover that sand bar up so people could see it.

Could there be a parking lot where her car was found? That looks like a park and also looks like a trail from the car to the river (as someone pointed out).

 

[Momma2cam]

The river is a foot or two deep

I'm not sure if you saw the article posted previously by someone (a car theif) needing rescued from the river. It seems to vary in depth depending on time of year and location. As with most rivers, there are generally steep and deep areas, muckier areas, and shallow areas.

Is the portion of the river she was found on considered southeast?

http://www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/4486.htm

"The southeast corner is steep with large boulders, but passable with care. In addition to the two dams noted on the map, there are several log jams and rock dams which have been partially washed out. For this reason, we recommend that the river not be floated during periods of low water level. If the flow at the Saint Paul Gaging Station is below 100 cubic feet per second, several additional portage and wading treks would be necessary."

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[Hiandmighty]

From this map, Jackie's body was found very close to her parents' backyard. It makes more sense that someone grabbed her outside her parents' house, dumped her body yards away on the sandbar, and then drove her car 1/2 mile and abandoned it. Now I wonder if the K9 only searched the area near the abandoned car and that's why it couldn't track Jackie's scent to find her body.

It seems like someone from her family would have found her body if it was so close, on friday night.

And yes, just because someone is dropping dogs off doesn't mean anyone is home. She may have been the only one at the house.

 

[Hiandmighty]

I'm not sure if you saw the article posted previously by someone (a car theif) needing rescued from the river. It seems to vary in depth depending on time of year and location. As with most rivers, there are generally steep and deep areas, muckier areas, and shallow areas.

Is the portion of the river she was found on considered southeast?

http://www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/4486.htm

"The southeast corner is steep with large boulders, but passable with care. In addition to the two dams noted on the map, there are several log jams and rock dams which have been partially washed out. For this reason, we recommend that the river not be floated during periods of low water level. If the flow at the Saint Paul Gaging Station is below 100 cubic feet per second, several additional portage and wading treks would be necessary."

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Posters were there this weekend and posted pics of a shallow and glass river. The river is not high or raging right now.

No. It is a lovely sand bar leading gently to the shallow river. It doesn't look (and has been reported not to be) dangerous.

 

[Momma2cam]

I'm not sure if you saw the article posted previously by someone (a car theif) needing rescued from the river. It seems to vary in depth depending on time of year and location. As with most rivers, there are generally steep and deep areas, muckier areas, and shallow areas.

Is the portion of the river she was found on considered southeast?

http://www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/4486.htm

"The southeast corner is steep with large boulders, but passable with care. In addition to the two dams noted on the map, there are several log jams and rock dams which have been partially washed out. For this reason, we recommend that the river not be floated during periods of low water level. If the flow at the Saint Paul Gaging Station is below 100 cubic feet per second, several additional portage and wading treks would be necessary."

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Here are current stats. Spike on March 1 and the levels appear to be above average.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=03363500

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[Etilema]

Hmm--just noticed there appears to be a bar located just about where her car was found. High Bar 2441 Riverside Drive.

ETA: Or a little further north?


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[Hiandmighty]

Maybe she chased the dog through the shallow water, fell and hit her head on the weir and then tumbled over onto the sand bar?

 

[Coquette]

From this map, Jackie's body was found very close to her parents' backyard. It makes more sense that someone grabbed her outside her parents' house, dumped her body yards away on the sandbar, and then drove her car 1/2 mile and abandoned it. Now I wonder if the K9 only searched the area near the abandoned car and that's why it couldn't track Jackie's scent to find her body.

Yes, perhaps someone had been stalking her or she argued with someone she knew and it became violent. Until LE states otherwise I am not willing to rule out foul play. MOO.

 

[gitana1]

Her car was found in a very nice residential area. The area where it was found has many trees and the houses are on
1-2 acre lots (the houses are far apart). The street is said to have 1 car/hour.

Thanks Gunslinging! So it was found on a street, in an area that one is able to park then? Like parked right on the street? I wonder how it was parked. I wonder if it looked nicely parked or haphazardly. I know if I was going fast to try to help an animal, which I have many times because I'm crazy, my car would not be neatly parked except if there was a miracle.

Thank you for this & the article. I sadly suspect this is close to what happened. A hazard in the river is getting a foot or arm trapped in a submerged tree or rock and not being able to free it in time. The rivers are muddy enough that a body may not be seen until it washes up.

MOO and I am still wondering how she could have gotten in the position to slip or fall in. I don't know that an autopsy, if it reveals drowning as a COD, will bring any resolution absent an additional obvious injury (like a gunshot wound).

How fast/high was the river that day? Anyone know?

Hi gitana :wave:

She was found half a mile from her car, post is somewhere upstream... (also, this is the same distance A and L were found from the bridge).

Thanks, friend. Do we know the conditions of the river that evening and the weather?

Hi, though the parents address is known and is public information, I did not want to put it on the map, it felt wrong, this early, especially as we don't really know if this was just an accident.

WSer Theforeigner found the address and gave a partial number in the 300 block on that street, also stating that they lived "next to the river." I just hightlighted the area but I think you can deduce what part of the street they might live on.

HTH Also please note that the star placements are approximate - I believe Jackie's body was found on the sandbar in the middle. I just didn't want to cover that sand bar up so people could see it.

None of the possible houses appear mere feet away except the one that appears in the corner of Newsom and Flatrock. And that is odd. If found there, could it mean she was trying to run back to her parents' home for some reason? Or did someone harm her who knew her and her family and wanted to make a statement? Or, was she trying to "go home" and was making a statement, either intentionally or subconsciously?

Now I read somewhere that her car was found "half an hour" from her body. But here, it appears super close to her parents' home. Like she barely left and something happened. It seems she could cut across that field into Flatrock and back on foot to her parents' home, in minutes. Did she have car trouble? Was someone tailing her or trying to run her off the road? Did she indeed see an animal in trouble? Why wouldn't she call her spouse as she ran? I would - "Honey! There's a stray running down the street by my parents' house. I just left but i need to try to grab this dog real quick first!!" I guess not everyone is like that.

Was she having a mental health issue that made her feel - "This is it. This is as far as I can go."?

I am very struck by the extreme proximity to her parents' street, and if it's at the end of the block, the proximity of her body to their home. Seems significant.

ETA: I note there is a path directly from her car to the river, right? Do dogs typically run into water to get away from someone? I tend to think they would not, and would instead keep running on dry land. Seems like a ton of options other than into the water. What do you guys think?

 

[Momma2cam]

Posters were there this weekend and posted pics of a shallow and glass river. The river is not high or raging right now.

No. It is a lovely sand bar leading gently to the shallow river. It doesn't look (and has been reported not to be) dangerous.

I saw that- pics near the sand bar and the shore. Not near the location of her car.

I have no idea what happened to her but find it a bit odd that some are so insistent on it being a murder.

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[Gunslinging Granny]

Gitana,
There were no photos posted in the media of her abandoned car. The only info provided was that it was abandoned in the street with its flashers on and the passenger door open. Her purse and cellphone were inside the abandoned car. The article stating her car was 1/2 an hour away was mistaken. It was 1/2 mile from her body.

 

[Hiandmighty]

Where is the rusted train trestle in this scene? Anyone know?

 

[Rosewater20]

I saw that- pics near the sand bar and the shore. Not near the location of her car.

I have no idea what happened to her but find it a bit odd that some are so insistent on it being a murder.

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I think the circumstances are very suspicious and I understand people will wonder if it could be homicide . However
I do not think anyone can say it definitely was . There are other possibilities and hopefully the police will establish the cause of death and how it happened.

 

[gitana1]

I saw that- pics near the sand bar and the shore. Not near the location of her car.

I have no idea what happened to her but find it a bit odd that some are so insistent on it being a murder.

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I think at this point there's no information that can indicate that any theory is definitive!

 

[Etilema]

Gitana,
There were no photos posted in the media of her abandoned car. The only info provided was that it was abandoned in the street with its flashers on and the passenger door open. Her purse and cellphone were inside the abandoned car. The article stating her car was 1/2 an hour away was mistaken. It was 1/2 mile from her body.

(Deleted)

 

[CatsInTheCradle]

I saw that- pics near the sand bar and the shore. Not near the location of her car.

I have no idea what happened to her but find it a bit odd that some are so insistent on it being a murder.

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BBM - Honestly, I don't know what to believe or which way to believe. There is too much not known like timelines and LE seems to be being very quiet about it. Nothing about it makes sense to me and I've tried to apply all kinds of logic and fit information in that is just speculation and it still doesn't make sense. Hoping for answers on Monday.

 

[Etilema]

Any surveillance/security video from local homes would be really helpful.


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[Momma2cam]

I think at this point there's no information that can indicate that any theory is definitive!

I understand. I'm thinking about the messages from LE and feel out of respect for the family it is best not to speculate too much before the autopsy. I don't know the validity of any rumors on social media but tend to assume that information is more valid than wild random speculation, until proven otherwise. I realize this site is intended to sleuth but this one feels a bit... uncomfortable, given the limited amount we know and the rawness I'm imagining her family is dealing with.

Probably just a hint for me that it is time to step away until autopsy results are given tomorrow, hopefully.

Hoping for answers for her family and friends and that they find comfort in each other during such a tragic time.

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