Michael Doherty. (Twitter)
A body found by searchers in Massachusetts is likely that of missing Duke University college student Michael Doherty, police say, in a tragic ending to a search that galvanized the community.
Searchers found the body on May 20 in a wooded area of Franklin, Massachusetts. Doherty, 20, a student at Duke, had returned home for the summer before he vanished after a house party.
This is where police were accessing the marsh where they say the believe Michael Doherty was found in Franklin #NBCBoston
The Franklin Police Department confirmed that a body was found in a post on Facebook. “At approximately 14:30hrs two civilians out searching in dense woods and thick underbrush near Rt. 495 located the body of a white male, believed at this time to be Michael Doherty,” police wrote. “Positive confirmation will not be available until the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has issued its findings.”
The body of a man found Saturday afternoon in the woods in Franklin is believed to be that of Michael Doherty. t.co/a6PXNhwpIu
The college student’s disappearance brought together the local community, with many people volunteering to help a massive law enforcement search effort of marshy and wooded areas.
The cause of death is not yet clear, but police said that they don’t believe that foul play was a factor in Doherty’s disappearance. According to Christine McCarthy of Boston25 News, “Franklin PD believes Michael Doherty made it across Mine Brook; disoriented, crossed back over, ending up in dense woods, where body found.”
What happened to Doherty remains a mystery at the moment.
This Michael Doherty map doesn’t make sense to me. lot of ground 2 cover. Been searching. very tough to get around. With shoes and Day lite
“Along with the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, and Troopers from the State Police Detective Unit, an investigation into what happened to Michael will continue. Due to the ongoing nature of that investigation, no further details will be released at this time,” Franklin police wrote.
You can read the full police statement here:
Details were still coming in on the afternoon of May 20 as news broke about the body being found.
An NBC Boston reporter, Perry Russom, also tweeted the news. Russom reports “Franklin PD says at 2:30 two people searching in dense woods and thick brush near Rt. 495 found body.”
BREAKING: Franklin PD says body of white man believed to be Michael Doherty has been found. Has been missing for nearly a week #NBCBoston
Doherty’s disappearance had baffled investigators, who turned up his shoes (in different places) and his shirt. He had appeared coherent when he left a house party full of friends and was missing for a week.
The police statement recounted the ordeal: “On Sunday May 14, 2017 the Franklin Police Department received a report of a missing person. The parents of 20 year old Michael Doherty, of Franklin, reported their son had not returned home after gathering with friends the previous evening. Officers from the Franklin Police Department immediately began an investigation and a search for Michael. Over the last six days countless man hours have been spent in the efforts to locate Michael, and bring him home to his family.”
Scene at end of Jimmy St. in Franklin near where a body was found this afternoon, believed to be missing college student Michael Doherty.
Police wrote on Facebook when Doherty first vanished that Doherty was “last seen Sunday near Phyllis Ln. Franklin Mass. Blue NIKE shirt, blk pants, sneakers. 5’10” brn hair, brn eyes.”
A friend told the Milford Daily News that Doherty had declined offers for a ride at the party, and it was raining when he left the gathering of several dozen college students. They were celebrating being home for the summer. Doherty’s parents live in the area.
Searchers check a dumpster full of tires in Franklin, looking for signs of missing 20-y-o Michael Doherty #wbz
In an emotional news conference on May 17, Doherty’s parents had said they were heartbroken and just wanted their son home.
Michael Doherty’s parents say they are “devastated, heart-broken and we just want our son home” @nbcboston @NECN
Police brought bloodhounds and drones to assist with the search because of the terrain, which contains muddy areas and marshland.
Doherty was a well-liked student at Duke University, where he participated in a fraternity.
According to The Duke Chronicle, he was “a rising junior in the Pratt School of Engineering.”
TV photogs film behind 4 Besso St. #Franklin, nearest access to where a body believed to missing college student Michael Doherty was found.
Doherty was also a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, the campus newspaper reported. On Facebook, Doherty wrote that he had graduated from Xaverian Brothers High School. He didn’t have any recent public posts on the platform.
You can learn more about the search for Doherty here:
