Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Dickinson State Softballers Found Dead

((HT: KFYR-TV/Bismarck, ESPN))

Police say three missing North Dakota college softball players have been found dead in their vehicle, which was pulled from a pond northwest of Dickinson.

Police Lt. Rod Banyai said Tuesday night that police are "still investigating" the cause of the deaths.

Authorities have been searching since Sunday night for Kyrstin Gemar, 22, of San Diego; Afton Williamson, 20, of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; and Ashley Neufeld, 21, of Brandon, Manitoba.

The Dickinson State University students were said to be in a white 1997 Jeep Cherokee with California plates when they were last heard from in calls made to two friends on cell phones before the lines went dead.

Here's how the news broke on NBC5
Andrew Keller was on the telephone with the studio...


Police described the first as a "very scratchy" call for help in which one of the women said they were near a lake and water.

Students at Dickinson State, where the women were stars on the school's softball team, led a prayer service Monday night that drew more than 300 people. Another service was scheduled at the 2,700-student school for Tuesday night.

"We are very deeply saddened by this turn of events and we are going to mobilize all of our resources to work with the families and the students on campus," Dickinson State spokeswoman Constance Walter said. "They will be greatly missed by their teammates and others."

The college lists Gemar as a senior business major who played third base on the softball team. Neufeld is a senior outfielder who was working on a degree in psychology, and Williamson, a junior, was a pitcher majoring in psychology with a minor in coaching.

Gov. John Hoeven issued a statement extending sympathy to the families and appreciation to those who participated in the search, "which ended in a way we all prayed it wouldn't."

Gemar's father spoke to KFYR after a Tuesday morning news conference...

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