Toxicology reports on Greene County woman are in, death still under investigation

By Gary Scott on November 13, 2017 at 10:15am

Toxicology reports have come back regarding the death of a Greene County woman several weeks ago, however it might still be a few days before additional information is released.

According to preliminary reports from the Greene County Coroner’s Office, 23-year old Mercades Shipley, of White Hall, was found lying next to train tracks near North Railroad and Higbee Streets in White Hall just before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, October 31st.

Greene County Coroner Danny Powell says Shipley was pronounced dead at the scene. While an autopsy performed on Wednesday, November 1st suggested blunt force trauma as the cause of death, Powell said office was waiting for additional reports before an official cause of death was determined.

As for the latest on Shipley’s death, Powell says his office just received the toxicology reports today, and that he still needed to review those reports with a pathologist before any further information is confirmed.

In addition to the Greene County Coroner’s Office, other agencies investigating Shipley’s death include the White Hall Police Department, as well as the Kansas City Southern Railroad Company.

Powell says his office hopes to have more information regarding Shipley’s death within the next week or so.