Police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in the Animas River on Saturday.
The body of Karen Michelle Reyes, 42, was found just under the surface of the water in an eddy on the east side of the river and about a quarter-mile south of the foot bridge behind the La Plata County Fairgrounds.
The Durango woman was reported missing by her boyfriend Saturday morning, who had not seen her since Friday night, according to Lt. Darrell Robertson with the Durango Police Department. Reyes left her residence on O'Brien Drive near Chapman Hill to walk her two dogs Friday night.
According to police, her black-brown-and-gray female border collie mix, Gumbo, and her gray male terrier mix returned to her home on their own. They say the dogs were on black and red leashes, and the terrier was wearing a sweater.
Reyes was last seen wearing a khaki baseball hat, a gray-and-blue long-sleeve fleece jacket, blue jeans and hiking shoes.
Robertson said a man who was fly fishing along the east bank of the river called 911 about 12:30 p.m. to report that he saw the body in the water. Durango Police detectives, Durango Fire Protection District and the La Plata County Coroner's Office went to the scene immediately.
Police are continuing their investigation, and an autopsy is pending.
“Clearly, it's suspicious,” Robertson said earlier Saturday. “There's no obvious cause of death. It will take a pathologist to tell us. There's nothing that stands out. Right now, it's really a mystery.”
Anyone with information should call Det. Sgt. Deck Shaline or Det. Josh Newman at 375-4729.
