“BODY IDENTIFIED” in the Town of Kinderhook
Greenport, NY—Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that the deceased body found in the wooded area off of Old Post Road in the Town of Kinderhook in the early morning hours of Saturday September 10, 2016, has been positively identified as 21 year old Halle Schmidt. Identification was made through evidence secured at the scene. Evidence was collected by the New York State Police Forensic Identification Unit and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Evidence Technicians.
The positive identification came at the conclusion of an autopsy, which was conducted at St. Peter’s Hospital on Sunday morning September 11, 2016. The Sheriff says that Ms. Schmidt is in fact the woman that had been reported missing to the Sheriff’s Office on Sunday September 4, 2016. Ms. Schmidt was identified by matching clothing that she was last seen wearing, tattoos that were on her body, and information that was obtained through the investigation.
Halle Schmidt was last seen on foot in the area of State Route 66 and Route 23B in the Town of Greenport during the early morning hours of Saturday September 3, 2016.
This is still an active criminal investigation and leads are being followed up by Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigators. Investigators have been working closely with Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka and his office throughout the course of this investigation. The Sheriff’s Office is also waiting on forensic testing that was conducted during the autopsy.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Branch at 518-828-4316 or 518-828-3344.
