Update: 2:48 p.m.: The Medical Examiner's office has now said they will not be releasing cause and manner of death for Tricia Beattie because the autopsy conclusion is "pending further study."
Monday, July 30 12:29 p.m.:
A person answering the phone at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said that the ME would not be releasing information on the cause or the manner of death for Tricia Beattie, the 36-year-old mother of three, whose body was found Saturday afternoon in the waters off of Bluff Point in Groton, a popular hiking, fishing and boating 800-acre coastline park. The spokesperson said, "We haven't even formally ID'd her yet. We won't be releasing anything."
(Sunday July 29) 8:36 p.m.: Police are looking for information about Beattie's last hours and hope to speak with anyone who may have seen or spoken with the victim on Friday. Anyone who has any information is asked to contact state police at (860) 848-6500. Information provided will be kept confidential.
Montville Patch will contact the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Monday since a spokesperson there Sunday said manner and causes of death are not provided on weekends.
UPDATE 4:45 p.m.:
They had been searching for her since the wee hours of Saturday morning.
A Facebook post by a friend of Tricia Beattie’s featured a photo of the mother of three daughters with this message:
“This is Tricia Beattie. She went missing at 1:30 a.m. after leaving Mo’s in Gales Ferry this morning. She is driving a black four-door Kia with dealer plates. If you know anything please contact the Ledyard police dept."
Sadly, it would turn out that Beattie's body would be discovered in the waters off Bluff Point Saturday.
On her Facebook page, Beattie described herself as a ‘stay-at-home’ mother devoted to her three daughters, ages 5, 8 and 11 and it was with her eldest daughter that she was very involved in Girl Scouts.
“So sorry for your loss,” one Facebook post reads. “(Tricia) was a great person and will be loved and missed by all of us. I pray God gives (her family) the strength to get through this.”
A number of other condolences were left for her on the page and there’s a post of a family picture of her, her daughters and Scott Kaune II.
Numerous attempts to reach the family were unsuccessful.
Another post on Tricia’s Facebook page was written to Kaune: “Scott, I am so sorry for your loss…you know I will be there as much as you need me to be…I have known you and her for a very long time she will be missed.”
On her MySpace page she referred to herself as Tricia Beattie-Kaune.
Another Facebook condolence read in part: “My thoughts are with all…but especially your beautiful girls. May you all find peace and comfort knowing she was loved by many.
Previously reported she graduated form Montville High School in 1996, Patch has now learned she graduated in 1994. And her most recent address was in Ledyard, though she used a Taftville post office box number.
Original story:
State police have identified the woman who was found dead in the water off Bluff Point in Groton Saturday as Tricia Beattie, 36, of 372D Colonel Ledyard Highway, Ledyard.
Beattie was a 1996 graduate of and is the mother of three children, according to those who knew her in Montville. They also said Beattie was living in Taftville most recently, despite the official address released by police.
Police said Beattie was last seen at about 1 a.m. Saturday outside , a restaurant and bar at 1649 Route 12 in Gales Ferry. She was seen driving a black 2006 KIA Optima with Connecticut dealer's plate XSA-21. State police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said Sunday at 4 p.m. that the car was located but gave no further information.
Lt. Michael Finkelstein said Sunday his department is cooperating with the Eastern District Major Crimes division in its investigation, and he had no further comment.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said it did not release cause of death of information on the weekends.
Troopers are looking to speak with anyone who may have seen or spoken with the victim on Friday. Anyone who has any information is asked to contact state police at (860) 848-6500. Information provided will be kept confidential.
Condolence notes have been posting on Beattie's Facebook page all day. On her Facebook, Beattie described herself as "I'm a stay at home mom. I take care of my 3 daughters."
