Woman died of exposure
Published 4:49 pm Tuesday, December 16, 2008
By Staff
ST. JOSEPH – On Monday, Dec. 15, Berrien County detectives Lt. David Chandler and Sgt. Fred Leasch attended the autopsy of Donna Mae Maximenko at Spectrum Blodgett Memorial Center in Grand Rapids.
Lt. Chandler advised the result of the autopsy indicated that Maximenko's death was caused by hypothermia.
No sign of "assaultive trauma" was located on her body, he said.
Results of blood tests performed on Maximenko were not complete.
Maximenko, 35, was reported as a missing person by the Mishawaka, Ind., Police Department on Dec. 5.
Her body was located on Dec. 1 in a wooded lot off LaPorte Road in New Buffalo Township.
Please contact Chandler at the Detective Bureau with additional information regarding this case at (269) 983-7141, ext. 6244.