Body found near the Yorktown confirmed as missing woman Elizabeth Ward
A body found Tuesday in water near Patriots Point was identified as that of a woman who apparently jumped from the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge on Saturday, authorities said.
The body that Charleston police found in the Cooper River was identified as Elizabeth Ashley Ward, 23, of Wadmalaw Island, Charleston County Deputy Coroner Kimberly Rhoton said.
Rhoton said tattoos were instrumental in identifying the body, on which no identification papers were found.
A state Highway Patrol trooper found the car Ward was driving abandoned on the bridge about 5:30 a.m. Saturday. The engine was running, but Ward was nowhere around, police spokesman Charles Francis said.
Three days of searching failed to turn up any sign of Ward. Sgt. Chad Womack of the police harbor patrol found the body about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, just in front of the aircraft carrier Yorktown at Patriots Point, Francis said.
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