The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the State Medical Examiner’s office on Friday that the remains found at the scene of a crash discovered off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County on Dec. 6 are those of Karen Koogler, 56.
The original release from the sheriff’s office relaying this also noted that no further information on the Koogler case will be released at this time.
An update sent to the media at 12:15 p.m. today offered two new details – that Koogler’s body was found outside the vehicle at the scene of the crash, and that the cause of death is “undetermined,” as determined by the medical examiner.
A Dec. 7 release from the sheriff’s office had reported that authorities felt the accident involving Koogler, who had been reported missing on Oct. 23, had occurred some time ago, and that foul play was not suspected.
Earlier in the investigation into Koogler’s disappearance, though, the story didn’t seem like one involving an undiscovered car accident on a remote section of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
On Oct. 30, a report from the sheriff’s office revealed that it had been determined that the last known contact with Koogler was at approximately 3 a.m. on Oct. 22, in Fishersville.
It was also reported then that her phone was last used on Oct. 23, at approximately 4 a.m. near the Buckingham/Nelson county line.
That report had also indicated that Koogler had been at the McDonald’s in Dillwyn on Oct. 26, that investigators were seeking to identify and contact the individual who reportedly bought breakfast for Koogler at the Dillwyn McDonald’s, and that investigators had scoured the area of Fish Pond Road in Nelson County, her last known location.
A Nov. 5 update from the sheriff’s office then revealed that investigators from Augusta, Nelson and Buckingham and the Virginia State Police had conducted a waterborne search of the James River near the Route 56 boat ramp on the James River in Wingina that met with negative results.
We’ll continue to monitor this case for any developments.
Story by Chris Graham
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Chris Graham
