Vehicle pulled from pond in Kokomo believed to be woman last seen in 2009

UPDATE: The Howard County Sheriff’s Office believes a vehicle pulled out of a pond on the north side of Kokomo on Wednesday is Ester Westenbarger, who has been missing since 2009.

A body was also found inside the vehicle and an autopsy was conducted. A positive identification of the body has not yet been made.

Authorities say Westenbarger was reported missing on Nov. 13, 2009. She was last seen leaving Miller’s Bar in Kokomo on foot to retrieve her vehicle that was located down the street, the sheriff’s office says.

The case remains active and under investigation by the Howard County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office.

KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — A vehicle covered in algae and containing a body was pulled Wednesday afternoon from a pond on the north side of Kokomo, police said.

People fishing at the pond called 911 shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday after seeing what they believed was an algae-covered vehicle at the bottom of a pond near Webster Street and Howard County Road 300 North. That’s in the Abby Place subdivision.

A dive team helped pull the vehicle from the pond about 4:30 p.m.

A news release from the Howard County Sheriff’s Office said, “Due to the sensitive nature of this call and to respect the families involved who have yet to be notified, no vehicle descriptions and/or person descriptions will be provided until a positive identification has been made.”

Anyone with information was asked to call Deputy Joe Underwood at 765-614-3477.