How many bodies have been pulled from the Ohio River in the Louisville area this year?
In the course of one year, headlines after headlines have appeared in Louisville, often giving just sparse details about another body – or body parts – found in the Ohio River.
It’s unclear if the number of occurrences this year is unusual – Louisville Metro Police failed to respond on the topic. The Louisville Fire Department – which handles rescuing people from the river, not recovering – has been called out to rescue more people from the river than last year, though not quite as much as 2020 (though there are still two months left in the year).
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Regardless of the rates seen in years’ prior, many would say one body or especially the discovery of some spare body parts is too much. Thus far in 2022, officers have responded to calls about the human remains of eight people in the river. Of those, one body has not been recovered and four others haven't been identified.
Here is what we know about the cases:
Two die in rigid January river water
Confusion and terror tore through Louisville’s downtown streets as an undressed woman sprinted toward the river and jumped in Jan. 13. Spectators called out for her and then one jumped in – a man known for his heroic efforts to help strangers in crisis.
Neither survived – though in the near-year since, only one of them has been found.
The body of 34-year-old Adam Thomas was found more than 100 miles downstream near Newburgh, Indiana, in April.
A father and business owner, Thomas jumped in the river near the Historic Wharf – at a time when the water was high, turbulent and frigid.
He was awarded posthumously the Carnegie Medal, North America’s highest award for bravery by civilians.
The body of the woman, who has not been identified, has not been recovered.
Upper extremity found in March
Human remains were found on the banks of the river in March and as of October, they have not been identified, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
An upper extremity was found on the banks near 16th Street and Northwestern Parkway on March 14. Other details, such as the gender, age and race of the person, are unknown.
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The case file notes that the remains are not recognizable but that the person had a tattoo on their forearm.
The few details available were uploaded to The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office on March 23.
This unidentified person is the most recent of eight unidentified cases uploaded in the national database in Louisville — the oldest dating to 1978.
Related:A skull, tattoos and 'Baby Francis': What we know about 8 bodies never ID'd in Louisville
Unidentified woman found in August
A woman's body was retrieved from the river the morning of Aug. 19.
Her body was found near Sixth Street on River Road and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Foul play is not suspected, according to LMPD and the woman's identity has not been disclosed. The woman is not believed to be linked to the January incident.
LMPD's Homicide Unit is investigating.
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Man found during Hike, Bike & Paddle
A Prospect man was found in the river during the city’s Hike, Bike & Paddle event on Sept. 6.
He was later identified as 56-year-old Christopher Wectawski and his cause of death was consistent with drowning, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. The time of his death is listed as Sept. 5 – the day before his body was found.
LMPD has not released any details regarding how he ended up in the water.
Unidentified man found near upper locks
A body was pulled from the Ohio River late on Sept. 8 – the second body to be found in the river in two days.
LMPD officers responded to a call just before 10 p.m. from an individual who was concerned that they'd seen what looked like a body at the Ohio River's upper locks. The body of an adult man was found by LMPD’s river patrol unit.
The department's homicide unit is handling the investigation.
As of Oct. 27, the man had not been identified.
Missing woman's body found near Big Four Bridge
On Oct. 15, the body of a missing woman was recovered near the Big Four Bridge.
Miriam Hope, 42, of Louisville drowned, according to the Jefferson County Coroner's Office. Louisville Metro Police had put out a flyer three days prior in hopes of finding Hope.
She was last seen Oct. 10, and the police said she was in need of medical attention.
No other details about her case have been released.
Unidentified man found near Kentucky Science Center
In the span of just four days, a second body was found in the river.
The body of a man was found Oct. 19 and more than a week later, he still was not identified.
The man was found just before 10:30 a.m. near the Louisville Loop behind the Kentucky Science Center.
The following week, the coroner’s office described him as a white man in his 30s or 40s, with short brownish hair, brown eyes, standing at 5’7’’ and 225 pounds. He was wearing a gray T-shirt with a "Dukes of Hazzard" General Lee 01 orange race car image on the front. He also had a red T-shirt with a Saint Bernard dog image on the front. Additionally, he had a possible surgical scar on the front of his left shoulder.
It is believed he died Oct. 16.
Anyone with information about who the man might be is asked to call (502) 574-1971.
Contact reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How many bodies have been pulled from the Ohio River this year?
