The Lost and the Found

Woman's head, found in lake, is only clue in her death

Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities - Tuesday, June 15, 1993
Author: Conrad deFiebre; Staff Writer

A woman's head found floating along the shore of a northern Washington County lake over the weekend is the only clue in the gruesome case, authorities said Monday.

The head was found Saturday morning on the north shore of Bone Lake in New Scandia Township, about 20 miles northeast of St. Paul. It is believed to be that of a white woman 25 to 32 years old who had been dead for two to four days.

The head was described as having dark hair in a short, "spiked" style, brown eyes and three holes pierced in each ear, but no earrings. Cause of death is unknown, said sheriff's Lt. David Heuer. Searches by divers and bloodhounds produced no more evidence.

Other police agencies have been notified of the case and investigators have compared the head against the descriptions of several missing women, Heuer said. All have been ruled out so far. An artist's drawing of the woman's face will be completed today and released to the public, he said. Anyone with further information is asked to call the Sheriff's Department at 439-9381.

A man who had recently bought property on the lake and was inspecting his purchase found the head and called authorities, Heuer said.

Meanwhile, St. Paul police are investigating a human foot that was found last night along the Mississippi River. It is too soon to tell whether there may be a link between the foot and the head found in Washington County, authorities said.