Deceased/Not Found IN - Najah Ferrell, 30, Avon, Hendricks County, 15 March 2019

[HayLouise]

Tom Negovan‏Verified account @WGNNegovan

A severed foot reeled-in by 2 Crown Point fishermen was tattooed with Najah Ferrell's name. The mother of 2 went missing March 15th near Indianapolis .. 130 miles away. What's next? @WGNNews after the @chicagobulls

Tom Negovan on Twitter

bbm

 

[HayLouise]

Sierra Hignite‏ @SierraHigniteTV

NAJAH FERRELL: Tonight, residents react to the news that police believe they found remains belonging to the missing Avon mother. @WISH_TV that report tonight at 10&11

Sierra Hignite on Twitter

Haley Bull‏Verified account @HaleyBullNews


Police say it appears the case of a missing person, Najah Ferrell, is transitioning to a death investigation after the discovery of remains. This is the pond right off the interstate on an exit ramp in Crown Point where police are searching today.

Haley Bull on Twitter

 

[HayLouise]

Beairshelle Edmé‏ @newsladyB

#ICYMI at #FirstAtFour: authorities believe fisherman found some remains of #NajahFerrell in Crown Point pond. The mom’s been missing since mid-March! @FOX59 following breaking news as @AvonPolice head to @HubCityCP. @HaleyBullNews will have reports for us later on #Newspoint.

Beairshelle Edmé on Twitter

(Video at link)

 

[HayLouise]

Suzanne Le Mignot‏Verified account @SuzanneLeMignot

#BREAKINGNEWS @AvonPolice confirm family of missing mother Najah Ferrell identified remains through the presence of a tattoo.@cbschicago

Suzanne Le Mignot on Twitter

 

[HayLouise]

Steve Jefferson‏ @scoopjefferson

DEVELOPING: Crown Point Police just searched above the pond with a Drone where a fisherman found what’s believed to be remains of missing Avon, Indiana Mother Najah Ferrell. @AvonPolice @WTHRcom @kchappellnews @scoopjefferson @jtduong

Steve Jefferson on Twitter

(Video at link)

John Duong‏ @jtduong

Crown Point PD currently flying a drone over the pond where the remains believed to be of missing Avon mother Najah Ferrell were found. The pond sits right off I-65 in Crown Point. @WTHRcom

John Duong on Twitter

 

[FrostedGlass]

UPDATE: Foot found in pond off I-65 identified by tattoo; no other remains found in searches

“The family does have ties in the Northwest Indiana area, so this area wouldn't be new to our investigations,” Nugent said. “But we weren't expecting anything to turn up where it did.”

The family declined comment. Avon police will continue to work with Crown Point police in efforts to further search the area, Nugent said.

 

[HayLouise]

Alexa Green‏Verified account @AlexaGreenNews

Avon Mom #NajahFerrell has been missing for nearly a month. But now, a possible break in a case. Coming up, how human remains found two hours away have investigators now looking at her case as a death investigation.

Alexa Green on Twitter

 

[meanmaryjean]

Intriguing how (seemingly) the only thing in that pond is her foot- with the tattoo that could immediately identify her.

 

[PommyMommy]

UPDATE: Foot found in pond off I-65 identified by tattoo; no other remains found in searches
[...]

A final positive identification cannot be made until the DNA results are known and released to the Avon police, Land said.

Underwater sonar, divers and a high-resolution drone camera were used in the search, and no additional remains or evidence has been found, Land said.

[...]

Crown Point police, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police and Crown Point Fire Rescue's Aquatic Search and Rescue Team searched until nightfall and returned to continue efforts Tuesday morning.

[...]

“As a department, our investigators have been working around the clock since this has taken place,” Nugent said. “To date, we've served and filed more than 30 search warrants.”

The search warrants included electronic records, vehicles and residences, Avon police said. A total of 40 interviews had been conducted by detectives as of March 28.

[...]

 

[ilovechili]

Intriguing how (seemingly) the only thing in that pond is her foot- with the tattoo that could immediately identify her.

I agree, what are the odds? Just her foot and with her name on it? Found far from where her things were, etc. What are we missing here? The disposal of the foot with identification seems almost intentional.

My heart goes out to her mother and children.

 

[Dre]

Is it possible that it was just the opposite and the perp didn’t realize how easily extremities wash up and was trying to get rid of this evidence, the way some people think that dividing up a body will make it much harder to identify? They could have hoped something so small would decompose quickly in wetlands

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 10, 2019
Crown Point remains: What we know about missing Avon mom Najah Ferrell
[...]

On Wednesday afternoon, the Avon Police Department will hold a press conference to release more information about Ferrell's disappearance, and discuss how the findings of police in Crown Point have altered their investigation.

 

[FrostedGlass]

I don't know if this link is one that was posted or one that I came across but it has a good interview by Avon Police Department Deputy Chief Brian Nugent. An interesting comment from the article:

"To be honest, it's not a place that most fishermen go to because it's so far off into the pond, so we're fortunate he was actually back there," said Land.

Here's the link to the article if you want to watch the interview from there or go to FB
Police working to identify remains believed to be missing Avon mother
FB

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10156770889520709

Here's my brief summary of the interview:
A couple of guys fishing out on the pond late last night found the foot
Still asking for any info that might be helpful
Don't know if the foot was tossed, dropped, buried...
Won't speak to the degree of decomposition; that would be best left to the coroner
Additional searches will be done
Re if they have suspects or POI: Today's findings certainly bring us to a more dismal perspective and the reality of what we might be facing. When you find human remains, that's not something we take lightly and certainly it's a very difficult thing for the family to understand.
Still have a lot of info to go through and still have people they want to interview... not honing in on one theory
Currently considered a "death investigation" but may transition to homicide
Don't know if remains are in the pond or somewhere else
This type of investigation takes time; please be patient

 

[PommyMommy]

Avon police to discuss discovery of human foot in Crown Point pond and possible link to Najah Ferrell
The Avon Police Department will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 1 p.m. to discuss the case. We will livestream the press conference online.

This link has sound now:

Avon police to provide update on search for Najah Ferrell after discovery of human remains in pond
Above: Live press conference expected to begin at 1 p.m.

 

[NervousNellie]

Forgive me in advance; I'm reading on my lunch break. Where were her belongings found that were discovered beside the road? Were they close to where her car was located, or near where her severed foot was found? Or somewhere in between?

 

[GraceG]

Forgive me in advance; I'm reading on my lunch break. Where were her belongings found that were discovered beside the road? Were they close to where her car was located, or near where her severed foot was found? Or somewhere in between?

The belongings were found along I-65 near Lafayette Road in Indianapolis. That is the highway that would take you to Crown Point where her remains were found. Her car was found a few miles away from where the belongings were found. Her car was found in the parking lot of Studio Movie Grill in Indianapolis. Both locations are a couple of hours drive south of where her remains were located. https://www.wthr.com/article/police-find-car-and-items-belonging-missing-avon-mother

 

[meanmaryjean]

Forgive me in advance; I'm reading on my lunch break. Where were her belongings found that were discovered beside the road? Were they close to where her car was located, or near where her severed foot was found? Or somewhere in between?

Belongings by the side of I65 in urban Indianapolis. Car a solid 5-6 miles further north in a movie theater parking lot. Remains 120+ miles further north off of I65.

 

[Plo_Koon]

Can't wait for the PC updates.

 

[PommyMommy]

Forgive me in advance; I'm reading on my lunch break. Where were her belongings found that were discovered beside the road? Were they close to where her car was located, or near where her severed foot was found? Or somewhere in between?

Her car was found near 86th Street and Michigan Road in the Studio Movie Grill parking lot, which is about 2.5 miles east of Panera Bread and 20 miles from where she was last seen.

Her belongings were found in a construction zone near I-65 and LaFayette Rd.

The foot was found in a pond near I-65 and 109th Street in Crown Point - a little over two hours north of where her car was found. Google Maps

 

[PommyMommy]

Here are my notes from the press conference. I'm not sure I got everything, but hopefully the important info (darn interruptions!).

1. Family identified the tattoo as Najah's and the family is not in attendance today.
2. Police aviation team has conducted two aerial searches since the last press conference. Locations were Eagle Creek and a wooded area on the SW side of Indianapolis.
3. LE continues to collect surveillance video of Najah and/or her vehicle.
4. The FBI remains involved in the investigation as well as the Indiana State Police. They did not put any restrictions on the assistance they offered.
5. The fishermen were not in a boat, but on the shore.
6. Cause and manner of death are currently undetermined. They do believe that foul play is involved, but are calling it a death investigation at this time until cause/manner of death can be established.
7. Search teams will use side-scanning sonar and cadaver dogs to expand the search beyond the pond itself.
8. LE is convinced that somebody knows something. All tips received since the last press conference have been or still are being reviewed. Asking for the public to continue to contact Crime Stoppers with tips about suspicious behavior, statements, etc.
9. No time of death established by the coroner. No POI or suspect has been identified.
10. Crown Point PD is taking the lead in searching the pond area. There are several ponds in the area and weather is a factor in the searches. Avon PD will become involved if additional evidence is located.
11. LE has not ruled out the possibility that there is one person responsible or that there is more than one person responsible. They are not locked into a theory.
12. Avon Police did not have any information that led them to the pond.
13. The lead detective contacted clergy from the family's church and invited them to be present when they met with Najah's family.
14. Just as cause/manner of death is undetermined, so is dismemberment.
15. Any additional information will most likely come in the form of a press release.