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News and Investigations
News & Investigations
News Releases and Public Information
Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Alicia Manautou. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
Feb 3, 2022
Missing Lakeland woman's body found after YouTube group locates her vehicle in a lake
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, a YouTube group who specializes in searching for vehicles in bodies of water located a 2012 Kia Soul connected to a missing Lakeland woman's case. The group had been contacted by the family of Margaret "Jan" Smith, who was 59-years old when she was reported missing to the Polk County Sheriff's Office on April 2, 2021.
The group attempted searches at several bodies of water in the area of Ms.
Smith's south Lakeland home, but were unsuccessful. A PCSO deputy informed the group that Ms. Smith had been involved in a minor crash at Socrum Loop Road North and Old Polk City Road in Lakeland the night she went missing. The crash investigator told detectives that she had driven west from the crash scene, although she eventually got turned around because the Kia was discovered in a retention pond north of the crash scene.
With the information about the crash, the group made one last attempt at one of several retention ponds around the Hunters Crossing subdivision and located it completely submerged near the middle of the pond where the water was seven feet deep.
PCSO's Underwater Search and Recovery Team (USART) pulled the vehicle from the pond, and a female body was discovered in the Kia.
Positive identification remains to be made.
"This was a tragic accident, and our prayers are with the family. We're grateful for "Adventures with Purpose" working with us in locating the vehicle." - Grady Judd, Sheriff