71-year-old woman found dead in Middleton park

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Middleton Police Department said in an update Thursday that a missing 71-year-old woman has been found deceased in a Middleton park.

Captain Travis Kakuske said in a release that the body of Sharon Wachholz of Middleton was found in the Pheasant Branch Conservancy at 9:35 a.m.

Kakuske reports that there was nothing at the scene to indicate that the death was suspicious and the affected conservancy trail has since re-opened.

The Middleton Police Dept. had issued a missing persons alert for Sharon Wachholz late Wedneday night asking anyone who sees her to contact authorities.

Several dozen first responders and volunteers spent hours looking for Wachholz until eventually locating her body.

Thursday morning, the police department released a statement saying Wachholz had been located. At the time, authorities said she left her home on Cypress Trail around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. She said she was going shopping in the Middleton and West Madison area, but did not return.

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