A 57-year-old woman was found dead Saturday in the Animas River near the DoubleTree Hotel in Durango.
The woman was identified as Joni Allred, who police said had been living in Durango for about a month. She had been camping near the spot where she was found for at least one night prior to her death, said DPD Cmdr. Jacob Dunlap.
The Durango Police Department received a call from a rafting company that spotted the body at 10:19 a.m.
“I believe they saw her in the water and helped pull her to shore before first responders could get there,” Dunlop said.
Dunlop was unable to say which rafting company made the call.
La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith said an autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. Allred’s body did not appear to have any wounds, lacerations or bruising, she said.
Dunlop said foul play is not suspected, but the case remains under investigation. Police were unable to say how Allred ended up in the river or give a specific cause of death.
It is unclear how long Allred’s body had been in the river.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
