DICKINSON, N.D. - Authorities found the bodies of three missing Dickinson State University students in a vehicle submerged in a stock pond northwest of town Tuesday, two days after they went missing.
Kyrstin Gemar, 22, Ashley Neufeld, 21, and Afton Williamson, 20, were inside Gemar's white Jeep Cherokee, which was pulled from the 12-foot-deep pond Tuesday afternoon, Dickinson Police Lt. Rod Banyai said at a news conference.
The women, who all played softball for the university, had been missing since Sunday evening when they had reportedly gone stargazing together.
Foul play is not suspected, but the matter has not been ruled an accident either, Banyai said.
At about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, a search team discovered vehicle tracks leading into the pond, Banyai said. Oil residue was reportedly floating on the surface of the pond.
ADVERTISEMENT
"It's a couple of miles, probably, off a main road," Banyai said about the pond. He declined to give a specific location.
"We will have more information later, but they're still looking at the scene and trying to determine the cause of what happened," Banyai said. "It is a scene that we're investigating and we need to keep anyone from getting on the scene right now."
Banyai said he does not know who was driving the Jeep.
The women made two phone calls about a minute apart at about 11:18 p.m. Sunday, Banyai said.
Frantic noises were heard during both calls and the women were asking for help, police said.
The vehicle will be examined to find out if there were any problems with it, Banyai said.
In an interview with The Dickinson Press before the fates of the three women were known, parents of the women said they recently heard from their daughters.
Phil Neufeld, Ashley Neufeld's father, said he and his wife Bev had walked around Patterson Lake Tuesday morning, searching for clues.
ADVERTISEMENT
"The water thing scared me and the fact that all the cell phones quit put a very negative thought in my mind," he said.
The last time they had spoken to Ashley was about a week ago, but Phil had received an e-mail from her Sunday evening.
Lenny and Claire Gemar, Kyrstin's parents, said they last spoke to their daughter late Saturday night.
"My wife spoke with her," Lenny Gemar said. "I want to say it was around midnight, or maybe after that time, and they just chatted for a little bit like mother and daughter do when the daughter's off at college."
"We are very deeply saddened by this turn of events and we are going to mobilize all of our resources to work with the families and the students on campus," said Constance Walter, director of university relations. "Kyrstin, Ashley, and Afton were essential parts of not just the softball team, but they were also critical to the university and the student body and they will be greatly missed by their teammates and others."
Walter said Williamson, who was a junior, had transferred to DSU from a southern California college this fall. Neufeld and Gemar, who were seniors, had been at DSU for more than a year, Walter said.
Gemar is a native of San Diego, and Neufeld is a native of Brandon, Manitoba, their parents said. Williamson is from Lake Elsinore, Calif., according to the DSU Web site.
Walter said she is not aware that DSU has experienced a loss similar to this.
ADVERTISEMENT
"These were very popular young ladies," said Hal Haynes, DSU vice president of student development.
Ashley Martin is a reporter for The Dickinson (N.D.) Press, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
