Woman’s body found in Cherokee County pond

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July 22, 2009

By Donna Hales

A woman found dead in a pond in Cherokee County was identified Wednesday as Donna J. Dulen, 38, of Stilwell.

“We don’t think it was a drowning — she wasn’t (completely) submerged in the water,” said Jessica Brown, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

The pond was between Spur 51 and Keetoowah Road on the west side of the Bertha Parker Bypass, Brown said. It was in a rural area, across from the Phoenix Ball Park.

There was no identification found at the scene Tuesday evening when the body was found.

“It doesn’t look like foul play,” Cherokee County Undersheriff Jason Chennault said. “She was submerged in the pond up to her knees. She was fully clothed, except her shoes, which were by the side of the pond.”

The State Medical Examiner’s Office later informed the investigators there were no signs of trauma to the body and no signs of foul play, the OSBI said.

The office is awaiting the results of toxicology tests, Brown said.

Chennault said he got a call to meet with someone Wednesday who wanted to report a woman missing. That missing woman turned out to be Dulen, he said.

The family Dulen was staying with hadn’t seen her in two or three days, Chennault said.

“They said she had broken up with a boyfriend and came to stay with some of the family,” he said. “They said she walked off on Sunday with her cigarettes and a bottle of water.”

Reach Donna Hales at 918-684-2923 or Click Here to Send Email