Body Found in Passaic River Identified as Missing Waldwick Woman

Bergen Live Staff Report

ELMWOOD PARK (July 6, 2009) Authorities have identified the female body found yesterday in the Passaic River as that of missing Waldwick mother of three Beverly T. Spano, according to a report in the Bergen Record.

Elmwood Park Police Chief Donald Ingrasselino said there was no evidence to suggest she was murdered. Investigators used dental records to identify the body after it was pulled from the river Sunday night.

A passerby discovered Spano’s body at 5:40 p.m. in the river along River Drive, south of Market Street, according to police Lt. Thomas Sabat.

Sabat said divers from the Bergen County Police Department and investigators from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office were called to remove the body Sunday night.

The body was too badly decomposed and was taken to the county medical examiner’s office for an autopsy and positive identification, Sabat said Sunday.

At the time of the discovery, police said it was a female and appeared to match the description of the then-unidentified Spano.

The discovery concludes a search that began Thursday after Spano was reported missing by her husband.

Spano’s unlocked minivan was found at an Elmwood Park marina on River Drive and Washington Avenue Thursday night.

Police began searching the Passaic River for Spano after her unlocked minivan was found at the Elmwood Park marina at River Drive and Washington Avenue

Hours before Spano’s body was found, two fishermen discovered a two-year-old child’s body down river in Clifton at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Sabat said there is no connection between the two bodies.

The investigation into the child’s death is ongoing, according to Passaic County authorities.

Filed under: Elmwood Park, body found, breaking news, Elmwood Park, passaic river, police, Waldwick

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Female Body Found in Passaic River in Elmwood Park

by Noah Cohen

ELMWOOD PARK (July 5, 2009) The body found in the Passaic River in Elmwood Park today is a female but police must await a positive identification by the Bergen County Medical Examiner’s Office, Elmwood Park police Lt. Thomas Sabat said this evening.

Sabat said the body was removed from the river along River Drive, south of Market Street, and transported to the medical examiner’s office this evening.  A passerby made the discover at 5:40 p.m. today, he said.

Fishermen found a child’s body in the same river in Clifton earlier today but Sabat said there was no connection between the two cases.

Police had been searching the area for a Waldwick woman reported missing by her husband Thursday.  Authorities said it was too early to tell if the body was that of the missing woman.

State, county and local police used divers, boats and a helicopter to search the river after an unlocked minivan belonging to the woman was found at an Elmwood Park marina Thursday.

Bergen Live News will continue to update this story as more information is available.

Filed under: Elmwood Park, body found, breaking news, Elmwood Park, passaic river, Waldwick

Body Found in Passaic River

by Noah Cohen

ELMWOOD PARK (July 5, 2009) A body has been found in the Passaic River along River Drive, south of Market Street, in Elmwood Park, police said this evening.

Elmwood Park Police said divers from the Bergen County Police Department and investigators from the County Prosecutor’s office were heading to the scene.  The body was still in the water at the time of this publication.

The discovery was made at 5:40 p.m. by a passerby, Elmwood Park police said.

Authorities had been searching the area for a missing Waldwick woman but said it was too early to identify the body.  The woman was reported missing Thursday by her husband and police had planned to resume their search tomorrow.

Bergen Live News will continue to update this story as more information is available.

Filed under: Elmwood Park, crime, Elmwood Park, passaic river, Waldwick