LONG NECK, DELAWARE (11/28/2014) The body of a missing 68-year-old woman was found Thursday in a tributary of Rehoboth Bay, state police said.
Police had issued a Gold Alert for Mary “Lorraine” Lappa after neighbors came to her Teal Drive home about 5 p.m. Wednesday to turn on some lights and discovered her purse, car keys and cellphone inside the house when she had been planning to visit relatives in New Castle County for Thanksgiving. Her car was still in the driveway.
The neighbors in the Creeks End development contacted Lappa’s relatives in the Wilmington area and found she was overdue there. They then called police.
Police, including a helicopter and K-9 units, as well as Indian River Fire Company members searched the area Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, but were unable to locate Lappa. A reverse-911 call was placed to alert area residents about 10:30 a.m.
About 11:40 a.m. Thursday, a resident assisting in the search located Lappa’s body off the shore in Guinea Creek near the development.
The fire company recovered the body, which was turned over to the Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy.
Police said no foul play is suspected.