Law enforcement officials confirmed that the body found in the Mississippi River in St. John the Baptist Parish Tuesday was identified as Kori Gauthier, the LSU freshman who disappeared Wednesday.
Gauthier had been missing since her vehicle was struck by another vehicle early last Wednesday. The vehicle had been abandoned for an hour prior to the accident, and police only found her cell phone and wallet inside the car.
“Since Kori was first reported missing, the LSU Police Department, Baton Rouge Police Department and other law enforcement agencies and volunteers have taken exhaustive measures to locate her and, in the process, to determine what led to her disappearance,” LSU Chief of Police Bart Thompson said. “This is a difficult conclusion for all of us, but we hope this will bring closure for the Gauthier family.”
LSU officials and law enforcement coordinated search efforts along the Mississippi River since Friday morning.
“Based on cell phone tracking, video footage and a timeline of the events related to this case – combined with other evidence we shared with Kori’s parents that we are not at liberty to disclose publicly out of respect for their privacy –  we have concluded that there was no criminal activity or foul play involved,” Thompson said.
A crewmember on a tugboat first reported the body a little after 9 a.m. to the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, according to Sheriff Mike Tregre.
“On behalf of the men and women of the Baton Rouge Police Department, I want to extend our prayers to Kori’s family and friends,” Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul said. “Over the last few days, we’ve held her close in our hearts, as we’ve worked with other agencies, volunteers, and loved ones to find Kori. We will continue praying for Kori’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
This brief will be updated as more information becomes available.