Police: Body found in Wilmington pond believed to be that of missing Sabina woman Casey Pitzer

WILMINGTON, Ohio - Police continue searching for a body in a Wilmington pond they believe is a missing 32-year-old Sabina woman.

Officials found a body in a pond Wednesday and Wilmington Police Department spokesperson Mary Kay Vance said they believe it may be that of missing 32-year-old Casey Pitzer.

Pitzer's family said Casey's body was found Tuesday, but officials have not confirmed that until they remove the body and an identification is made.

Pitzer, the mother of two boys, went missing early Sunday morning after leaving Uncle Louie's Bar on U.S. 22. According to police reports, she was last seen exiting a vehicle on State Route 73 in Wilmington and running toward an open field with a retention pond on it.

The search resumed at the pond Wednesday morning, Vance said, where police focused the search for three days.

Pitzer's dad, Greg, believes his daughter is in the pond. "There is a body in the pond, but they are having trouble because it is so deep."

Several factors are making the removal of the body difficult. Vance said the pond, which is about 35 feet deep, has a spring, which is creating motion in the body of water. Dive teams are battling cold temperatures and an uneven pond floor, which make the search challenging. Teams worked to remove the body until about 1 a.m. Wednesday.

“Until we actually pull the body out of water, we, the police department, can not officially say it’s her,” Vance explained.

Police have spoken with county engineers about draining the pond, but the large amount of water makes it difficult.

Greg believes his daughter went out with some friends and was intoxicated, which led to her death in the pond.

Pitzer's family believes what likely happened is a tragic accident and that no foul play was involved. Greg said his daughter planned to celebrate one of her son's birthdays on Sunday.

"I have so many unanswered questions," Greg said. "You never expect as a parent to bury your children, especially one who left behind two little children."