Deceased/Not Found TN - Dr. William Coltharp, 55, Center Hill Lake, 2 Oct 2011

[popsicle]

Also-If this turns out to be what is suspected forensic marine experts say his body will never be found. The depth of the lake along with low temperatures and pressure at the bottom will not allow bacteria to promote gases to float the body. Does anyone have knowledge of a similar case?

Any thoughts?

sp

http://www.wjle.com/news/2013/body-found-floating-center-hill-lake-0

There has been a badly decomposed body found in this lake. The doctor was the first person I thought of when I read this. Though I did not realize it had been 2 years since he disappeared. Would there be much remains to float after that length of time?

TC

The first quote may answer your question, although it doesn't say anything about fish activity re the body. I also think he may have left his laptop in the boat to make sure law enforcement were the only people to have access to it after his death. jmo

 

[mayelf]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/23364632/insurance-company-denies-missing-nashville-surgeon-is-dead

Has a little information that the computer came back and they won't release the information. His passport was left in the family safe and he hasn't used any bank accounts but the insurance denied that he is deceased even though there is no proof he is alive.

 

[rachaellouise]

Has there been any word from his family, friends, colleagues?

 

[Turbocat]

The body found is not Coltharp. He is still missing. The man found was missing even longer and is not one I remember. The story is here:
http://www.wjle.com/news/2013/body-man-found-lake-identified-joseph-loupe

TC

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[NZkirsty]

If he is still in the water, is there any chance of it appearing 2 years later?

 

[tarabull]

The body found is not Coltharp. He is still missing. The man found was missing even longer and is not one I remember. The story is here:
http://www.wjle.com/news/2013/body-man-found-lake-identified-joseph-loupe

TC

An interesting tidbit from your link TC:

"In my career as a law enforcement officer, I never heard of any body surfacing after being in the lake for that long," said Sheriff Ray.

 

[JerseyGirl]

The life of a prominent Nashville doctor who went missing four years ago will be remembered at a memorial service Saturday. A memorial service for Dr. William H. Coltharp will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church at 4815 Franklin Road.

Although Coltharp remains on the county's missing persons list, he was declared deceased by a Nashville court in December. The ruling concluded a legal process that began two months after Coltharp, 55, was last seen.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...sing-nashville-surgeon-memorialized/25546837/

 

[Former Rn]

The doctor vanished Oct. 2 while kayaking on Center Hill Lake. Latest reports-The kayak was found with life preserver and laptop computer. Witnesses say the Doctor was seen loading a cinder block into his boat before launch. A deep lake 190 feet and large at 18,000 acres has officials still listed the Doctor as 'missing'. The laptop computer is undergoing a forensic examination.

Interesting

Any other information would be helpful.

sp

Used to work with him at the hospital when I changed hospitals spoke with another staff member he used to work with them and swears he saw Dr coltharp in Fiji Dr colethorpe was known to have multiple affairs with nurses who worked in the ICU we all believed he faked his death.

 

[Former Rn]

Travelingbug, all very good points and interesting thoughts. Maybe that's why my mind went to faking his death. But who knows the state of mind of someone who is intent on killing themselves. I'm very interested in finding out whose body this is. It is a very, very big and deep lake. People occasionally drown in it, but all cases I've heard of recently the bodies were recovered. If it isn't Coltharp it will be interesting nonetheless.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk now Free

 

[Former Rn]

As a former ICU nurse at the hospital he worked we all knew that he had multiple affairs with nurses and we all believed he faked his death a few years later I worked with a profusionist at a different hospital who had also worked with him had taken a trip to Fiji and swears he saw Dr Coltharp in crowd of people Dr Coltharp was a very tall man and really easy to pick out in a crowd he called his name the man turned and then quickly walked away and disappeared from the crowd he tried to catch up to him but wasn't able to catch up to him I always wondered what was on that laptop

 

[Former Rn]

As a former ICU nurse at the hospital he worked we all knew that he had multiple affairs with nurses and we all believed he faked his death a few years later I worked with a profusionist at a different hospital who had also worked with him had taken a trip to Fiji and swears he saw Dr Coltharp in crowd of people Dr Coltharp was a very tall man and really easy to pick out in a crowd he called his name the man turned and then quickly walked away and disappeared from the crowd he tried to catch up to him but wasn't able to catch up to him I always wondered what was on that laptop

 

[Caring1]

William Coltharp was added to NamUs on 4/17/24 and modified today. No photos and no exclusions listed.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[kimmg007]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/23364632/insurance-company-denies-missing-nashville-surgeon-is-dead

Has a little information that the computer came back and they won't release the information. His passport was left in the family safe and he hasn't used any bank accounts but the insurance denied that he is deceased even though there is no proof he is alive.

That makes me wonder if the information recovered on his laptop was shared with investigators for the insurance company, which is why they're denying that he's deceased. Maybe the cops were able to recover some recently deleted searches or emails.

I've never believed that he's dead. There was just WAY too much staging. Who takes their gun out of its holster (a holster that was easily identified as belonging to Coltharp) and tosses it on the ground to be found by park workers but then puts the unholstered gun into a kayak where it'll most likely get wet? The fact that he didn't take his passport or use the bank accounts that his wife knew about doesn't surprise me at all. He had the means/money to buy a new identity and passport.

Will Coltharp was a wealthy heart surgeon facing malpractice suit(s). If he'd wanted to commit suicide he had access to drugs that would've just let him go to sleep and just not wake up..... far less traumatic than drowning oneself or even using a gun. But since he wanted it to appear that he DID use a gun (hence the discarded holster) then why not just park at the lake and do the deed in his SUV? Why involve a kayak on a cold, windy day? Because that's an easy way to explain the fact that his body was never found. And just FYI, he drove past two much shallower lakes (Old Hickory and Percy Priest) to get way over to Center Hill. I hope he's found someday...but I'd bet my last dollar that it won't be in Center Hill Lake.

 

[kimmg007]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/23364632/insurance-company-denies-missing-nashville-surgeon-is-dead

Has a little information that the computer came back and they won't release the information. His passport was left in the family safe and he hasn't used any bank accounts but the insurance denied that he is deceased even though there is no proof he is alive.

That makes me wonder if the information recovered on his laptop was shared with investigators for the insurance company, which is why they're denying that he's deceased. Maybe the cops were able to recover some recently deleted searches or emails.

I've never believed that he's dead. There was just WAY too much staging. Who takes their gun out of its holster (a holster that was easily identified as belonging to Coltharp) and tosses it on the ground to be found by park workers but then puts the unholstered gun into a kayak where it'll most likely get wet? The fact that he didn't take his passport or use the bank accounts that his wife knew about doesn't surprise me at all. He had the means/money to buy a new identity and passport.

Will Coltharp was a wealthy heart surgeon facing malpractice suit(s). If he'd wanted to commit suicide he had access to drugs that would've just let him go to sleep and just not wake up..... far less traumatic than drowning oneself or even using a gun. But since he wanted it to appear that he DID use a gun (hence the discarded holster) then why not just park at the lake and do the deed in his SUV? Why involve a kayak on a cold, windy day? Because that's an easy way to explain the fact that his body was never found. And just FYI, he drove past two much shallower lakes (Old Hickory and Percy Priest) to get way over to Center Hill. I hope he's found someday...but I'd bet my last dollar that it won't be in Center Hill Lake.

 

[kimmg007]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/23364632/insurance-company-denies-missing-nashville-surgeon-is-dead

Has a little information that the computer came back and they won't release the information. His passport was left in the family safe and he hasn't used any bank accounts but the insurance denied that he is deceased even though there is no proof he is alive.

That makes me wonder if the information recovered on his laptop was shared with investigators for the insurance company, which is why they're denying that he's deceased. Maybe the cops were able to recover some recently deleted searches or emails.

I've never believed that he's dead. There was just WAY too much staging. Who takes their gun out of its holster (a holster that was easily identified as belonging to Coltharp) and tosses it on the ground to be found by park workers but then puts the unholstered gun into a kayak where it'll most likely get wet? The fact that he didn't take his passport or use the bank accounts that his wife knew about doesn't surprise me at all. He had the means/money to buy a new identity and passport.

Will Coltharp was a wealthy heart surgeon facing malpractice suit(s). If he'd wanted to commit suicide he had access to drugs that would've just let him go to sleep and just not wake up..... far less traumatic than drowning oneself or even using a gun. But since he wanted it to appear that he DID use a gun (hence the discarded holster) then why not just park at the lake and do the deed in his SUV? Why involve a kayak on a cold, windy day? Because that's an easy way to explain the fact that his body was never found. And just FYI, he drove past two much shallower lakes (Old Hickory and Percy Priest) to get way over to Center Hill. I hope he's found someday...but I'd bet my last dollar that it won't be in Center Hill Lake.

 

[kimmg007]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/23364632/insurance-company-denies-missing-nashville-surgeon-is-dead

Has a little information that the computer came back and they won't release the information. His passport was left in the family safe and he hasn't used any bank accounts but the insurance denied that he is deceased even though there is no proof he is alive.

That makes me wonder if the information recovered on his laptop was shared with investigators for the insurance company, which is why they're denying that he's deceased. Maybe the cops were able to recover some recently deleted searches or emails.

I've never believed that he's dead. There was just WAY too much staging. Who takes their gun out of its holster (a holster that was easily identified as belonging to Coltharp) and tosses it on the ground to be found by park workers but then puts the unholstered gun into a kayak where it'll most likely get wet? The fact that he didn't take his passport or use the bank accounts that his wife knew about doesn't surprise me at all. He had the means/money to buy a new identity and passport.

Will Coltharp was a wealthy heart surgeon facing malpractice suit(s). If he'd wanted to commit suicide he had access to drugs that would've just let him go to sleep and just not wake up..... far less traumatic than drowning oneself or even using a gun. But since he wanted it to appear that he DID use a gun (hence the discarded holster) then why not just park at the lake and do the deed in his SUV? Why involve a kayak on a cold, windy day? Because that's an easy way to explain the fact that his body was never found. And just FYI, he drove past two much shallower lakes (Old Hickory and Percy Priest) to get way over to Center Hill. I hope he's found someday...but I'd bet my last dollar that it won't be in Center Hill Lake.