Body of missing woman, 71, found in La Mesa

LA MESA (CNS) – A 71-year-old woman who went missing more than a month ago in La Mesa was found dead of unknown causes this week alongside a freeway on-ramp in the eastern San Diego County city, authorities reported Tuesday.
State road workers discovered the body of Vivian Crowder, 71, next to the connector from La Mesa Boulevard to eastbound Interstate 8 on Monday morning, according to the La Mesa Police Department.
The whereabouts of Crowder, who suffered from dementia, had been unknown since the afternoon of Oct. 29, when she was spotted walking alongside state Route 125 over I-8, LMPD Lt. Katy Lynch said.
A ruling on the cause of Crowder’s death was on hold pending completion of postmortem examinations.
In a prepared statement, Lynch expressed thanks “to the many citizens, volunteer organizations and sheriff’s search-and-rescue (personnel) for their support and contributions to the search for Ms. Crowder since she was reported missing.”