The Allen County Coroner’s Office has confirmed the identities of two bodies found in the St. Marys River last week. The deceased, Christina Michelle Dixon, 40, and Matthew Joseph Johnson, 41, were both residents of Connersville, a city situated to the east of Indianapolis. The coroner’s office has officially classified their deaths as homicides.
The grim discovery was made by volunteers who were participating in a river cleanup near Guldlin Park, on the fringes of downtown Fort Wayne. The coroner’s report revealed that Dixon’s death was caused by strangulation and suffocation. Johnson’s death, on the other hand, was the result of a combination of gunshot and stab wounds.
Both Dixon and Johnson had been reported missing by the Richmond Police Department on September 19. Their disappearance was noted in a missing persons bulletin issued by the Indiana State Police.
The circumstances surrounding how their remains ended up in the river remain a mystery. As of now, no information regarding a potential suspect or additional details of the investigation have been publicly shared.
As the investigation continues, law enforcement officials are urging anyone with information related to these deaths to reach out to the Fort Wayne Police Department. The hope is that with the public’s help, they can piece together the events leading up to the tragic deaths of Dixon and Johnson, and bring those responsible to justice.