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<p>TUNKHANNOCK &#8212; Wyoming County District Attorney Jeffrey Mitchell has identified the body found in the Susquehanna River in Plymouth last weekend as homicide victim Haley Maree Lorenzen.</p><p>Lorenzen, 24, was reported missing by her boyfriend, Phillip Donald Walters, 32, who was charged in early January in connection with her death.</p><p>Lorenzen relocated to Falls Township in Wyoming County from Oregon in November. She reportedly moved in with Walters at his residence on Route 307.</p><p>Court records say a witness told state police Walters killed Lorenzen inside their shared residence and threw her body into the river from a bridge in Falls Township.</p><p>During his news conference at the Wyoming County courthouse Thursday, Mitchell said the remnants of a white plastic bag were found tied to Lorenzen&#8217;s right arm, corroborating a report that a bag filled with rocks was tied to her body before it was thrown in the river.</p><p>Mitchell said an autopsy was done Monday and Lorenzen&#8217;s identity was confirmed through dental records.</p><p>Mitchell limited his comments because he said the investigation is ongoing.</p><p>&#8220;I also will not be talking about the defendant and I will not be mentioning his name,&#8221; Mitchell said. &#8220;I cannot tell you guys what to say or write in your reports but I hope you spend more time talking about Haley than you do the defendant.&#8221;</p><p>Offering a snapshot of Lorenzen, Mitchell said, she loved children and animals, enjoyed the outdoors and searched for the best deals at thrift shops.</p><p>&#8220;She like Black Friday shopping. Christmas was her favorite holiday. She loved to make cookies and decorate during the holidays,&#8221; Mitchell said. &#8220;She was a sister, a niece, a granddaughter, a daughter. She is deeply loved and desperately missed.&#8221;</p><p>Mitchell said authorities have been in contact with Lorenzen&#8217;s family and are committed &#8220;to bring the defendant to justice.&#8221; Walter&#8217;s trial is scheduled for the week of Sept. 16.</p><p>&#8220;Words cannot begin to describe the pain that Haley&#8217;s family has endured. Now they have some comfort in knowing that they can bring Haley back to Oregon where she can be laid to rest,&#8221; Mitchell said.</p><p>Lorenzen&#8217;s family thanked the community for its support and the numerous agencies that participated in the search for her, Mitchell said.</p><p>According to the criminal complaint charging Walters with criminal homicide:</p><p>Walters reported Lorenzen missing Dec. 30, telling police he last saw her early in the morning. He claimed they stayed up late the night before drinking and playing games with his teenage son.</p><p>A witness not named in the complaint accompanied by an attorney told state police she had a sexual relationship with Walters, who liked rough sex, including sex toys and choking sexual partners. The witness told Walters she no longer wanted to be with other women.</p><p>Hours before Walters reported Lorenzen missing Dec. 30, the witness told investigators Walters asked her to come to his residence.</p><p>When the witness arrived, she claimed Lorenzen&#8217;s body was on a bathroom floor and Walters had scratches on his arms.</p><p>The witness told investigators she helped Walters clean up blood with bleach and rags, and helped him dispose of Lorenzen&#8217;s body off a bridge.</p><p>Emergency crews searched the river in the Falls Township area for several weeks sometimes being hampered by high water, icy conditions and rough currents earlier this year.</p><p>A kayaker discovered the body in the river near Plymouth on Saturday. Her body was recovered near Bridge Street, Plymouth.</p><p>An autopsy was performed Monday by forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross at the Luzerne County Coroner&#8217;s Office in Hanover Township. At the time Coroner Dan Hughes did not disclose the gender of the body due to the ongoing investigation.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_Haley-Lorenzen-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lorenzen</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_Haley-Lorenzen-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Lorenzen</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_Phillip-Walters-Wyoming-County-01092019-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Walters</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_Phillip-Walters-Wyoming-County-01092019-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Walters</caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Wyoming County DA identifies body found in Susquehanna River