Body of missing airman found in stock tank (TEXAS)

The Associated Press ^ | Mar. 08, 2005 | The Associated Press

[Dubya]

SAN ANGELO -- Authorities have recovered the body of a missing Dyess Air Force Base airman from a stock tank on a West Texas ranch, his stepsister said.

Staff Sgt. Michael Leslie Severance's body was found in 10 to 20 feet of water in a tank 15 miles northeast of San Angelo, Nicole Leighton said Monday. His body had been weighted with cinderblocks, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Severance, 24, had been missing since Jan. 15. He lived in San Angelo but was assigned to Dyess in Abilene, about 90 miles to the northeast.

Leighton said Air Force officials contacted her family Sunday night saying his body had been found. A Dyess spokesman said he could not confirm the family had been contacted.

Six divers searched about four hours before finding the badly decomposed body, officials said. The Tom Green County Sheriff's Office took the body to the Medical Examiner's Office in Lubbock for positive identification.

According to a police report filed by Severance's wife, the airman had been behaving out of character before he disappeared.

Severance was married four months ago and also leaves behind a 5-month-old son.

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Information from: San Angelo Standard-Times, http://www.sanangelostandardtimes.com/

[ladtx]

His body had been weighted with cinderblocks, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Ya think?

[dakine]

"his death was ruled a homicide"

They have a start, probably someone he knew....

[7.62 x 51mm]

Sounds like some dirty going's on, thereabouts. Prayers for him and his family.

[leadpenny]

. . . the airman had been behaving out of character before he disappeared.

Might that involve chemicals?

[Dubya]

LOL

[Dubya]

I guess thats good detective work I guess.

[woofie]

Cinderblocks are not healthy, especially close to water

[Robe]

I think that it's obvious that he stole the chains and cinder blocks and tried to escape by swimming across the pond....jeeeezzzze

[RichInOC]

That's not good.

As an aside, is the CVB motto by any chance "Come to Tom Green County...you'll have a ball"?

[EternalVigilance]

If cinderblocks are outlawed, only criminals will have cinderblocks.

Somewhere in Texas, a mobile home is sitting with the frame flat down on the ground! ;-)

But kidding aside, prayers for this man's family....

[BBell]

They didn't say what made them search the tanks.

[Conspiracy Guy]

"Never steal more cinder blocks than you can swim with." We have always said that in the south.

[FreedomCalls]

They didn't say what made them search the tanks.

In West Texas speak, a "tank" is not always a man-made structure. It can also be what the rest of the country calls a "pond." It comes from the Spanish "tanque." The body could have been visible to someone standing at the edge.

[TalonDJ]

Also such 'tanks' are not very large. If it took several divers 4 hours to find him they must have been searching all the tanks in the area.

[76834]

Just announced on Abilene TV.
The deceased wife is under arrest for "tampering with evidence"

And get this:
$500,000 bail.

[Buddy B]

* The deceased wife is under arrest for "tampering with evidence"

Is that to read the wife of the deceased ?

[76834]

Probly, but the wife is under arrest.

Gotta love the FR grammer police.

[Buddy B]

'Gotta love the FR grammer police.'

How about:   grammar

grammer = a common misspelling.

[BBell]

When it said it took 6 divers 4 hours I assumed they had a tip. If it was visible it should have been easy to find.

[FreedomCalls]

True.

[No Blue States]

"The deceased wife is under arrest for "tampering with evidence"

Sounds like she was having an affair, they killed him then she was trying to cover up the missed tracks.

[76834]

Sounds like she was having an affair, they killed him then she was trying to cover up the missed tracks.

My take also.
You can betcha that this thing is fixing to come unwrapped like an 8 day clock..