DEATH INVESTIGATION UPDATE

Marion County Sheriff Gregg Alexander advised the autopsy of a woman recovered from the Welcome Ridge boat launch area of Bull Shoals Lake has been completed. Alexander reports the State Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy of SHARON ROSE HARRIS, 80, of Rockwall, Texas, and determined the cause of death to be drowning and the manner of death to be accidental. Marion County Investigators recovered the body just off the shoreline on the afternoon of April 11th, after area residents reported seeing the body in the water. Investigators learned the woman had been reported missing by a family member to the Rockwall Texas Police Department on April 10th. Follow-up by Investigators led to the positive identification of HARRIS by a family member on 04/12/24.

DEATH INVESTIGATION UPDATE 4/16/24

The body recovered from the Welcome Ridge boat launch has been positively identified by a family member as SHARON ROSE HARRIS, 80, of Rowlett, Texas. HARRIS' body has been sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

ORIGINAL RELEASE 04/12/2024

On 04/11/24, at approximately 1:00P, Marion County deputies were dispatched to the Welcome Ridge boat launch area in northern Marion County after area residents located the body of an unidentified white female, floating just offshore in Bull Shoals Lake. Investigators responded and processed the scene and recovered the body, which was transferred to the Marion County Coroner's Office. Investigators canvassed the area, conducted interviews, and began their follow-up investigation. A vehicle was recovered from the boat launch ramp that was linked to the female. Later in the evening, Investigators took a missing persons report of a white female who traveled to the Welcome Ridge community area from out of state but had not been heard from since 04/10/24.

Investigators are working to obtain a positive identification of the female, and the body will be transferred to the Medical Examiner's Office of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. The investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Gregg L. Alexander, Sheriff