Body of missing St. Louis ballet dancer found in lake
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The body of a St. Louis ballet dancer was found in a rural northeast Missouri lake on Wednesday, a day after she was reported missing. A private pilot flying over Mark Twain lake discovered her body, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.
About 150 people were searching for Raffaella Maria Stroik, 23, when her body was found. Authorities said foul play is not suspected.
Autopsy results are pending, CBS St. Louis affiliate KMOV-TV reports.
An investigation started Tuesday after Stroik's car was found parked for a second day straight near a boat ramp.
Stroik, dancer with the St. Louis Ballet Company, joined the ballet last year. Her profile on the ballet's website said she is from South Bend, Indiana.
The high school she attended in South Bend issued a statement Wednesday on her death.
"This is a sad time for the Saint Joe family," John Kennedy, the principal of Saint Joseph High School, said. "We pray earnestly for the repose of Raffaella's soul, for the healing of the Stroik family, and for all those who knew and loved Raffaella."