Body Found in Ottawa County
On Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 6:20PM the Carroll Township Police Department received a report of a body floating in the water at Lamberjacks Marina, 10221 W. Locust Point Road, Oak Harbor, Ohio. The body had been discovered by two individuals riding jet-skis in the area. An officer from the Carroll Township Police Department arrived on the scene and was able to confirm it was in fact a human body. The police department immediately requested assistance from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
The body, found in an isolated area of the marina, was recovered from the water by the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office Underwater Response Team.
The body is that of a female, presumed Caucasian, likely in her late teens or early twenties. She is of thin build and was found wearing only a white tank-top T-Shirt and bra. There was a tattoo, approximately two and one-half inches in diameter, on her right front shoulder. The design was that of a five point star with a ‘sun burst’ in the middle done with blue ink. (Example below) The victims arms were bound behind her back and her feet were tied together. The body, found in 3-4 feet of water, was weighted down with two large cement blocks.
The body has been taken to the Lucas County Coroners Office where an autopsy will be performed. There was no immediate indication of the cause of death. Investigators estimate the body may have been in the water one to two weeks.
The case remains under investigation by the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office and the Ottawa County Coroner with assistance from the Carroll Township Police Department.
Assisting agencies; Carroll Township Fire and EMS
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation (Sandusky Office)
Anyone with possible information about the identity of this person is asked to call the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office at 419-734-4404.
Designed in Blue Ink
Audio Recording of 911 Call, Click on Link Above
Call Received on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 5:59 PM
Updated August 26, 20009 @ 11:00AM
Updated Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 1:40PM
On Wednesday, August 27, 2009 an autopsy was performed on the body of the deceased female found the previous day at Lamberjack’s Marina in Carroll Township.
At this point the cause of death is being withheld for investigative purposes. Ottawa County Sheriffs Detectives still continue to follow up on leads and information received about the possible identity of the victim. The autopsy did determine that the victim was deceased before being placed in the water. Investigators still believe the body was placed in the water sometime within the past two weeks. Information about the victims blood type and DNA are pending. It was not possible to obtain fingerprints from the victim to use for identification purposes. There were no obvious indication the victim had been sexually assaulted but investigators are waiting for analysis of evidence that has been collected.
The description of the victim is updated with the following information;
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: Under 30 years
Hair: Long brown in a pony tail
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5 feet 7 inches
Weight: 122 Pounds
During the autopsy additional tattoos were found on the body. The following was found;
- A second five point star with a ‘sun burst’ design was found on the left front shoulder. (This is identical to the one on the right shoulder)
- Red Rose with Green Leaves on the right side of the neck.
- Red and black Ladybug on top of the right foot
- Red and Yellow ‘heart’ with a banner through it with unreadable writing located on the left calf.
- Red long stem rose with green leaves located on upper right arm.
- The name ‘Tonio’ in cursive writing on the left arm above the wrist.
The victim also had a belly button piercing with a small chain that contained 5 flower designs, each smaller than the next.
Silver material, five pink stones surrounding one clear stone. Total overall length is about 3 inches.
Updated Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 3:30PM
Further analysis by the Coroners Office has determined that the body of the female is estimated to be between 25 and 35 years of age.
Updated Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 10:15PM
On the evening of Thursday, August 27, 2009 the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office received several calls concerning the identity of the victim found at Lamberjack's Marina in Carroll Township on Tuesday evening. The callers saw pictures of the tattoos on the victim during local news broadcasts at 5:00PM and recognized them as being those of a family member. Ottawa County Detectives met with family members, including her mother and brother, in Toledo on Thursday evening. They positively identified the victim from photographs of the tattoos and surgical scars on the body.
The victim has been identified as:
Jennifer L. Shively, age 26
1132 Earl Street, Toledo, Ohio
At this time Detectives have no information on where the victim may have been murdered or how or why the body was brought to Ottawa County. The case remains under investigation by the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office, the Ottawa County Coroner, the Toledo Police Department and the Carroll Township Police Department. No arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified.
Updated Thursday, August 28, 2009 at 2:30PM
The Ottawa County Sheriffs' Office has released that Jennifer Shively died as a result of strangulation.
Further information will be posted when available.
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Posted August 25, 2009 (793 as of 08-26-09 @ 1100)
Updated August 27, 2009 at 1340 Hrs. (2,409)
Updated August 27, 2009 at 2210 (2,681)