By Staff
ST. JOSEPH – On Wednesday, the Berrien County Sheriff's Office was notified by detectives from the South Bend, Ind., Police Department that a missing female from Mishawaka, Ind., might be in the New Buffalo Township area.
SBPD detectives gave deputies the description of the vehicle that this subject might be driving.
New Buffalo City Police, assisting New Buffalo Township deputies) discovered the vehicle parked behind the Best Western Motel, located off 18800 LaPorte Road (back parking lot ).
Officers then started searching the area, described as a wooded area, and located a deceased female approximately 60 to 70 yards from where the vehicle was located.
This person has been identified as Donna Mae Maximenko, 35, of Mishawaka, Ind.
Maximenko was reported missing since last Friday, Dec. 5, to the Mishawaka City Police Department.
Cause of death has not yet been determined, according to Det. Lt. David Chandler of the Berrien County Sheriff's Office.
Chandler said the Berrien County Medical Examiner and detectives from the Berrien County Sheriff's Office will be doing an autopsy today.
This investigation is continuing by both detectives from the Berrien County Sheriff's Office and Mishawaka police.