Posted on May 19, 2012.
Authorities believe a body found in a car near the Carroll airport Thursday afternoon is that of a missing Carroll mother of two.
A pilot circling for a landing spotted a silver car parked a few feet into a corn field northwest of the airport about 2 p.m.
Carroll police chief Jeff Cayler said the body of a woman was found inside, and it’s believed to be that of Stacy Wilson, 38, who was reported missing seven days ago.
The silver 2004 Chrysler Sebring four-door sedan found in the field was Wilson’s car.
Positive identification won’t be made until the body is autopsied by the State Medical Examiner’s Office this weekend.
“But it appears the search is over,” said Cayler. “We’re relatively certain it’s the missing lady at this point.”
Cayler said there was no evidence of foul play or physical abuse at the scene, located along Phoenix Avenue a half mile south of U.S. 30, about four miles southeast of Carroll.
Wilson apparently steered off Phoenix Avenue and drove about 75 yards over a hill through a soybean field then stopped about 10 feet into an adjacent corn field.
“It was impossible to see the car from the road,” Cayler said.
Wilson was last seen at 2:40 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3, buying drinks at the BP convenience store along U.S. 30 West, a few blocks from her home.
Police believe Wilson left because she was distraught over the death of her father the night before.
Cayler said it appears the car had been in the field since the day of Wilson’s disappearance, based on the level of decomposition of the body and other evidence.
The body was found in the car’s driver’s seat, which was in a reclined position.
Police aren’t disclosing whether Wilson left a suicide note and what was discovered at the scene.
Authorities used an aircraft based at Sac City to conduct an aerial search of the Carroll area for three hours on Wednesday but were limited in flying the vicinity of the Carroll airport due to airplane traffic.
And even though Wilson’s car was situated on a straight line about a half mile off the northwest end of airport runway, it was difficult to spot from the air since it was parked in tall corn.
“It was maybe 11/2 car lengths into the corn field, but it was buried pretty good,” Cayler said. “Imagine how many planes went in and out of the airport the previous six days, and (the car) wasn’t seen.”
Police notified Wilson’s mother and stepfather about two hours after the body was found.
Cayler said this is the first instance of a missing person being found dead in his nearly 30 years on the Carroll Police Department.
“Usually the (missing) person shows up after a day or so and there’s a logical explanation for the disappearance,” he said.
“This is a terrible outcome,” Cayler commented. “We can only imagine what the family was going through the past week. And I can’t stress enough how well they cooperated with us in the midst of their anguish. At least they can have some closure now.”
Wilson is survived by two teenage daughters, her mother and six brothers and sisters.
The Times Herald has not been notified of funeral arrangements.