Monday, April 1, 2019

Has Vatsla Watkins Been Found?

The search for missing person Vatsla Watkins took a sad turn when a bloated body was found in Lake Wiley late Sunday afternoon, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and news reports.



Although the victim has not yet been identified, it’s the same area where Vatsla Watkins’ car was found on March 22.

Watkins has not been seen since March 18.

Charlotte's Fox 46, was for a time reporting that the body that has been recovered from Lake Wiley was indeed that of Watkins. Early Monday morning the station deleted the claim.

The body in question was found floating in the water under the Buster Boyd bridge and was spotted by a passing boater.

The 911 call made by an unnamed boater references the missing woman but also mentions that the victim appears to be wearing a black life jacket. The caller further states that he is not sure if the person is man or female that the body is floating face down and that it seems to have a small waist. The caller askes if it could be a child, which may have led to some confusion in earlier reports. 

CMPD’s Lake Wylie Boat Patrol and the Charlotte Fire Department responded to the scene to retrieve the body.

CMPD and Charlotte Fire teams had previously searched the lake by boat looking for Wakins but called off their search at 5pm on Friday afternoon.

The 39-year-old mother of two and wife of former Mecklenburg County GOP chair Curtis Watkins is still listed as a missing person on CMPD's website.



Cedar's Take:

This sad development unfortunately makes sense, given cold the water temperature. It takes about a week, longer in colder water for a body to gas up and rise to the surface. While the theory that she committed suicide by jumping off the Buster Boyd Bridge does not have the same dramatic visual as say Charleston's Ravenel Bridge or San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, this could possibly be the result of just such a choice.

Anonymous reports that CMPD homicide detectives executed a search warrant at Watkins house on Monday morning are also unconfirmed. 

However, a jump from the center of the Buster Boyd Bridge would not be certain death as the bridge is rather low at 30 feet. Death by drowning would be a possibility for a non swimmer. Hard to imagine someone putting on a life jacket to end their life as the 911 caller stated the body seemed to be wearing. While there are black waterski vests its more logical that this is just the black jacket Watkins was last seen wearing.

Homicide remains a concern and the chance that the body is not actually that of Watkins is also still a question.

Suicide is a taboo subject for news media coverage, yet it is more common than homicide. Education, awareness and intervention is the best prevention.

Cedar Update:

As sources on Sunday stated the body recovered was indeed that of Vatsla Watkins.

Suicide is the noted cause of death and no foul play is not suspected. 

Finally - if you know anyone who is troubled, depressed and distant please seek help for them by taking the time to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit their web site at:

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guess the rope came untied?

Anonymous said...

Nothing worse than a floater. You don't ever want to touch one unless you have too. Then its crazy hard to identify because they lay prone in the water face down arms and legs extended and subjected to damage from rocks, bridges and aquatic life. Turning over a faceless corpse is something I'll never forget.

Anonymous said...

That's really in poor taste 12:13 her family is still hoping she's alive. This is someone's mother. Shame on you and Cedar Posts!

Anonymous said...

How is 1213 demonstrating poor taste?! He simply states something that he’ll never forget seeing and at no point said this is what happened to Mrs Watkins. And I really don’t get you shaming Cedar... he’s a man who pilots yachts and has probably been around a few drowning victims in his day. And I realize that some people (yes I’m referring to you 5:23) believe everything is always rainbows and butterflies but let’s get real here. The body was found in the same area where Mrs Watkins vehicle was found days earlier.

Anonymous said...

In a drug and alcohol fueled rage she goes to random marina puts on a life jacket and somehow slips hits her head and falls into the water drowns and no one saw this happen.

Anonymous said...

Sad story and doubtful and outcome will please everyone. The husband is always a suspect. This sure looks like a homicide.

Anonymous said...

At this point I would say its a homicide or they would have ID'd the body and closed the case as a suicide. What are the chances of it being a "hook up" and something went wrong?

Anonymous said...

Sad outcome CMPD now confirming the body recovers from Lake Wylie on Sunday was indeed Mrs Watkins. Foul play is not suspected and her death ruled a suicide.

Anonymous said...

She must have been some kind of crazy selfish bitch. Costs to taxpayers in the 10s of thousands, strangers who were genuinely concerned for her safety and people who took the time to spread the word. Not to mention her family, kind of cruel to inflict that sort of pain of your kids.

Hope she enjoys the pits of hell.

Anonymous said...

Easy now there 8:28

Anonymous said...

Didn't CMPD's Mike Bell kill himself on a golf course...."looking for golf balls in the woods"

Anonymous said...

CMPD lied and said he had a heart issue. That way his family could collect the insurance pay out. CMPD gonna CMPD.

Anonymous said...

Still no body cam footage from Wende Kerl's shooting.....from any officer out there.


Sounds legit.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:07,

Under NCGS 132-1.4A, the public release of any body camera footage will only occur under the order of a Superior Court Judge.

It is a state law that was passed by the North Carolina General Assembly.

Anonymous said...

Why do departments release body cam footage all the time to vindicate officers?

Anonymous said...

Screw releasing that video. They need to let things cool down before they heat them back up. I don’t care if the video is absolutely perfect, there is going to be unrest and protesting...

Anonymous said...

I HEARD LARRY DEAL ATE HIS CAMERA? TYPICAL>>>>ARMY.
SMOOCHY XOXO

Anonymous said...

Autopsy of Bell showed aneurysm. Get outta here with that suicide/coverup bullshit. Besides, you obviously didn't know him personally. He did not go by "Mike."

Anonymous said...

Aneurysms occur for many reasons, like overdosing on sad pills.