The last morning of 2011, approximately 400 concerned citizens gathered at 8 a.m. in the northern part of Garland County at the Jessieville Schools to start searching for Hot Springs Village resident Dawna J. Natzke. Natzke went missing from a Christmas party at the home of the property owners' association's current general manager, Scott Randall on December 21.
Natzke attended the Randall party with her boyfriend and her mother. Natzke abruptly left the party with her boyfriend leaving her mother and her purse behind. No one called the police. It wasn't until 6 a.m. Friday morning that Natzke was reported missing to the Hot Springs Village police by one of her three sons, December 23.
Searchers set out in groups with one experienced rescue personnel in each group. At approximately 9:30 a.m. the body of a deceased female was found by one of the men searching about 200 yards off of Main Haul Road at Purdue Trail. The body had been out in the elements for a good amount of time in an area with active wildlife. Because of the condition of the body a positive identification will have to be made by the Arkansas State Crime Lab. Garland County Coroner Stuart Smedley was on site around noon.
Although the police could not say for sure it was the body of Natzke, she is the only missing female reported in the area. Chief A. L. Cornett of the Hot Springs Village Police Department called on Natzke's family before 10:30 a.m. to prepare them for the probability the body is that of Natzke.
Because the body was found out in Garland County, the investigation will be shared by the Hot Springs Village Police Department and the Garland County Sheriff's Department. After the discovery of the body the joint forces began crime scene investigation. It was over three hours before Natzke's body was removed to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for autopsy and identification. Cause of death will be ascertained by the Lab.
This was the first time this area of Garland County had been searched in the Natzke matter. Earlier efforts were concentrated within a two mile radius of where Natzke's burned out car was found. The site the body was found is about eight miles from where the car was found.
No one has been arrested or charged at this time. The scheduled news conference set for Monday, January 2 has been cancelled. Today's press conference was held on Main Haul Road just 200 yards from the unidentified body.
Natzke's somber colleagues were working the crime scene. Everyone involved is considering this a case of foul play until proven otherwise. Lt. James Martin of the Garland County Sheriff's Department said it was unbelievably lucky that the body was found at all much less an hour and a half into the search.
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