By Chris Chesky and Todd Barin/Murphy News Service

The body found in the Mississippi River Wednesday night was identified today as that of missing University of Minnesota student Jennifer Houle, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Thursday, saying Houle from died of freshwater drowning.

Houle, 22, went missing early last Friday morning after she was last seen Dinkytown’s Blarney’s Pub and Grill, 412 14th Av. SE., Minneapolis, on the edge of the U campus. Police found Houle’s purse and cell phone about three blocks west of the bar on Saturday and subsequently found surveillance video footage of Houle falling from the 10th Avenue bridge. A search of the river ensued immediately.

Houle was a senior at the U’s Carlson School of Management and was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. She grew up in Lake Elmo and graduated from Stillwater High School.

“We want to thank law enforcement, all the Hennepin County Sheriff’s [deputies], the Minneapolis Police … for all the compassion they’ve shown to us,” Houle’s father, John Houle, told the Star Tribune. “They’ve done such an amazing job keeping us informed about the investigation. We sincerely appreciate their tireless efforts to figure out what happened to Jennifer and to bring her home to us.”

Police said they do not yet know if Houle jumped or fell into the river.

The Houle family announced it will hold a ceremony April 12 at Northrup Auditorium to celebrate the young woman’s life 

Reporters Chris Chesky and Todd Barin is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.

 

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