Police ID Lake Erie victim

OAK HARBOR, Ohio - Late Thursday evening, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department said they positively identified the woman's body that was found Tuesday floating in an Oak Harbor marina.

The county sheriff's department said the victim is 26-year-old Jennifer L. Shively of Toledo. Family members called the sheriff's department after new identifying tattoos were revealed after an autopsy by the Lucas County Coroner.

Ottawa County detectives said family members identified her by the tattoos and surgical scars. Her last known address was on Toledo's east end near Navarre Park, between East Broadway and Woodville Road.

Ottawa County detectives said they did not have information on where Ms. Shively was murdered or how her body cross county lines.

Friday afternoon detectives said Shively was strangled to death before she was tossed into the water.

The case remains unsolved and there have been no arrests.

 

---

From earlier reports Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009

Though the cause of death has not been released, the Lucas County Coroner said the woman's body discovered floating in an Oak Harbor marina Tuesday, died before being inserted into the water.

Ottawa County Sheriff detectives said they've received several leads in the case, but still don't know the name of the victim.

Detectives have not released the cause of death because they said it could hurt the investigation.

They don't believe she was sexually assaulted.

Late Thursday afternoon, the Lucas County Coroner's Office said the woman's age is between 25 and 35 years of age. Initially the female body pulled out of Lamberjacks Marina was to be in her late tees or early 20s.

The sheriff's department  released additional pictures of identifying marks that were found on the female victim after inspection of the body. The images were posted on the county sheriff's Web site early Thursday afternoon. The images are of additional tattoos and body piercings.

One tattoo has the word "Tonio" displayed in script was found on the woman's left arm above her wrist. It was also revealed that the woman's body has two five-point star tattoos on both her shoulders, instead of her right shoulder.

Forensic experts also found several other tattoos throughout the female's body:

• Red rose with green leaves on the right side of her neck
• Red and black ladybug on top of her right foot
• Red and yellow heart with a banner on left calf (writing unreadable)
• Red long stem rose with green leaves on right upper arm

The female victim also had a pierced belly button. The piercing is pink and silver with a small chain that contained five flower designs, each smaller than the next. The three-inch piercing has five pink stones surrounding one clear stone.

The autopsy did produce a more detailed description of the woman who died. The victim is 5-foot-7 and weighs about 122 pounds. She has brown eyes and long brown hair pulled into a ponytail.

The Lucas County Coroner was unable to recover the female's fingerprints due to the condition of the body. DNA and blood type results are pending.

If anyone has information on the identity of the female victim or recognize the tattoo you are asked to call the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office at (419) 734-4404.

(FOX Toledo's Michelle Zepeda contributed to this report)