Body is that of missing woman

A body found in a Knoxville, Tenn., lake during the weekend has been identified as a missing Florence woman, authorities said Monday.

Medical examiners made the positive identification on 21-year-old Jennifer Lee Hampton within an hour after her medical records from Florence arrived in Knoxville.

"The records arrived late this afternoon and it did not take long for the medical examiner to make the determination," said Knoxville police spokesman Darrell DeBusk.

Hampton, a former Waterloo High School homecoming queen, was reported missing Sept. 20. She was in Knoxville to help train staff members at a new Mama Blue's restaurant that is being opened.

Hampton's last contact with coworkers was the night of Sept. 19, according to restaurant employees.

DeBusk said the cause of death will not be immediately released because the investigation continues.

He added, "this case is being investigated as a homicide. We just cannot go into details at this time."

DeBusk also declined to directly answer if police have a suspect.

"We are swiftly moving forward with our investigation," he said.

Family members had already conceded that the body found Saturday morning in Melton Hill Lake was that of their relative. Police said a fisherman found her nude body near a tree, not far from the shore.

An attorney representing Hampton's family called a news conference Monday morning to discuss the case. Attorney Eddie Daniel said at the time that family members believed it was Hampton's body that was retrieved from the lake. He said information relayed to them from police was enough to proceed with funeral arrangements. The positive identification came six hours later.

Daniel said Morrison Funeral Home in the Central Heights community is handling arrangements. The day of the funeral had not been determined as of Monday night.

"The family has been provided sufficient information and probabilities by detectives of the Knoxville Police Department that the body of the young lady found Saturday in Melton Hill Lake is that of Jennifer Lee Hampton," Daniel said at the news conference. "Based upon the information we have received from detectives from the Knoxville Police Department, Cindy Senn, mother of Jenny Lee Hampton, has begun the process of making arrangements to return Jenny to Florence."

Daniel said later that the positive identification of Hampton was not a surprise.

"It still is not easier to take," he said. "Instead of the stake being halfway through the heart, now it's all the way through."

The place where Hampton's body was found is at a section of the lake near Lovell Road, within 10 miles of the Days Inn motel where Hampton was last seen.

Residents of Waterloo, where she attended high school, continued to react with shock and anger when learning that a positive identification had been made.

"This is a horrible, horrible tragedy," said Melanie Pigg, who has been involved in raising money to help Hampton's family deal with mounting bills. "She was such a special person. She was working and saving money so she could go to school to become a nurse. Someone has taken her life away from us and taken away someone who would have been a wonderful nurse who would have helped a lot of people.

"The only thing that could make this horrific thing worse is if they are unable to find the people responsible for this and punish them."

Pigg had asked that all Lauderdale County schools take up money to help the family. She said Lexington school officials reported raising $1,098 at Friday night's football game and $683 was raised at the Waterloo game.

"I hope to hear about more money being raised," she said. "I know some churches have tried to raise money, including one in Knoxville that has evidently raised $12,000."

A trust fund has also been set up at CB&S Bank for anyone who wants to contribute money for the family.

Hampton's parents have been in Knoxville since learning of their daughter's disappearance and have not worked.

"We can't fix this, but when they get home we want them to know we care," Pigg said.

At the morning news conference, family members thanked Knoxville police and other agencies that had been involved in the search and investigation. They also thanked individuals and businesses that posted missing-person fliers, contributed to a fund in Hampton's name and sent out prayers.

The family stated that a criminal investigation is ongoing, and asks that anyone with information call Knoxville police at (865) 215-7212.

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.