Feb. 28, 2003: Missing U student found in river

By Terry Collins

Last update: November 17, 2006 - 10:58 PM

The body of Christopher Jenkins, a University of Minnesota student who was reported missing Halloween night and became the subject of a statewide search, was recovered Thursday from the Mississippi River near downtown Minneapolis, the family's private investigator said.

"It's his body, there's no question about it," said Chuck Loesch, whom the family hired after their son's disappearance. He said Jenkins' father, Steve Jenkins, called him at his Lakeville home about 8:30 p.m. with the news. However, Gail Plewacki, Minneapolis' police communications director, said late Thursday that police had no official confirmation that the recovered body that was taken to the Hennepin County medical examiner's Office was Jenkins. Michael Opitz, an investigator with the medical examiner's office, said the body, found near the 3rd Avenue Bridge, appears to be that of a man. He said it was difficult to determine age because the body had been in the water for a long time. He said the office hoped to make a positive identification today. Loesch was hired by Jenkins' parents after their son's disappearance from the Lone Tree Bar & Grill in downtown Minneapolis. He said that Minneapolis Police Sgt. Pete Jackson notified the family at their Burlington, Wis., home about 8 p.m. Thursday. Jenkins, 21, was a senior in the Carlson School of Management and was co-captain of the lacrosse team. He was wearing a light brown American Indian costume at the time of his disappearance. The body that search crews pulled from the river about 6:15 p.m. was dressed in a similar color.

"It could be Chris Jenkins or it could be somebody else" who has been missing, Opitz said. "But we need to get all of the dental records and things we need to make or rule out who this might be." Jackson had been assigned to the case initially because of reports that Jenkins might have been assaulted on Hennepin Avenue after his disappearance Oct. 31, Loesch said. "But right now we don't believe that he was assaulted there," Loesch said. "It's way too early to tell what actually caused Chris' death until we see the autopsy report. That's the starting point." Jenkins' parents have said since his disappearance that they suspected foul play, but Minneapolis police said they didn't. Jenkins' father, reached at his home, declined to talk Thursday night. However, Christopher Jenkins' mother said in late November that Minneapolis police told her that their son probably jumped into the Mississippi River because of depression. Jan Jenkins called the theory preposterous and said there wasn't a shred of evidence to suggest that. Two pedestrians on the bridge saw the body and called police at 3:49 p.m., said Inspector Bill Wilen of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. At about 6:15 p.m. the Hennepin County Water Patrol and Minneapolis Fire rescue teams recovered the body.

Wilen said the body was lodged in some logs beneath the bridge near St. Anthony Falls.

Wilen said the recovery effort was dangerous at times as rescuers pulled the body from swift-moving waters. "It was a difficult procedure because it was near the falls," Wilen said. "We had to take every precaution possible." Among the onlookers was Christian Bailey, a member of the search party.

Bailey said he came to the river after receiving phone calls from his brother and a friend about 6 p.m. "My heart skipped a beat," Bailey said after learning how the body was clothed. "But my gut isn't telling me anything yet. "I hope it's not Jenkins. That's about all I can say. We're all hoping he's still out there alive somewhere."

- Terry Collins is at tcollins@startribune.com.

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