Menard Co. Coroner Identifies Elderly Woman Found in Sangamon River near Petersburg

By Benjamin Cox on December 13, 2022 at 10:58am

The Menard County Sheriff’s Office has identified the elderly woman pulled from the Sangamon River near Petersburg on Sunday afternoon.

Chief Deputy and Menard County Coroner Ben Hollis has identified the decedent as 76-year old Linda Christensen of Springfield and formerly of Petersburg. Hollis said in a press release that final autopsy results are pending, but no foul play is suspected.

Christensen was reported missing from Springfield early Friday morning. Local authorities found Christensen’s Lincoln SUV unmolested near the Illinois Route 123 bridge east of Petersburg late Friday morning. A two day long search that included ground, water, and air units from multiple agencies concluded on late Sunday afternoon when Christensen’s body was located in the Sangamon River by a search team.

No further information about the incident has been released.