Body of missing student found

The body of missing SCSU student Scot Radel was found around 1:45 p.m. today, March 1, in the Mississippi River near the railroad bridge by East St. Germain Street.

Search teams using an underwater remote operating vehicle (ROV) located Radel in approximately 11 feet of water. A dive team from the Stearns County Sheriff's Office then recovered the body.

Radel is being transported to the Anoka County Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy scheduled for tomorrow.

At a 4 p.m. press conference in the St. Cloud Law Enforcement Center, SCPD Chief Dennis Ballantine said the body did not appear to show signs of foul play.

"What we found at the time of recovery was his wallet was in his pocket with money, his cell phone was in his pocket, his wrist watch was on, his keys were in his pocket," Ballantine said. "There were no obvious signs of injury beyond what could be assumed to have occurred as part of being in the river for nearly a month."

At this point in the investigation, Ballantine said no possibilities have been ruled out.

The find comes after Radel's white hat was discovered in the river by the dam near campus. While this area was previously the focal point of the search, Ballantine said efforts moved near the railroad bridge after a change in strategy.

"We originally started the search around the dam because of the assumption of how far we thought (Radel would have drifted) if he had walked in where the steps were," Ballantine said, referring to footprints found shortly after Radel's disappearance.

"Once (officials from St. Louis County) showed up and started assessing what was going on, they immediately led us back to the area where the footprints were," he said. "They said there was no way in their mind that he could've got that far downstream."

Focusing on that area proved successful. David Phillips, St. Louis County under sheriff, said the discovery was the result of people, tools and conditions coalescing at the right moment.

"A plan needs many things. This was a matter of technology, the right people, the right public safety organizations coming together," Phillips said. "That also had to align with the weather, the ice conditions and all kinds of factors."

Phillips said they were fortunate all these aspects were in their favor. Despite the assistance of ROVs, he said underwater operations are by no means easy.

"It's not as easy as it sounds even with the right technology. There's many variables," Phillips said. "Imagine covering your backyard with pea soup fog and trying to find a tool using a remote control car."

The person that did manage to find that metaphorical tool was Brett Colb, an ROV operator for Video Ray, a company that manufactures the underwater devices,

Colb said he found Radel's body almost immediately after he began to search with the ROV.

"The first object I saw was actually the body," Colb said.

With the discovery of the body, emotions among those on the frontlines of the search efforts were running high. Under Sheriff Phillips said it was hard not to feel for Radel's family.

"We're parents too. It's very, very emotional," Phillips said. "There's relief and that's coupled with sadness. We have children too. We deal with families in tragic situations on a fairly regular basis, but I still can't imagine what it would be like to lose my own child. And that's exactly what that family is going through."

Radel's family was not present at the press conference.

The discovery by no means closes the Radel case. Chief Ballantine said this is merely the halfway point.

"There are two major portions to the case. One is finding Scot. The second is to find out what happened and how he got there," Ballantine said. "Fortunately or unfortunately, Part A is done, we have found Scot. Now we still need to continue on and determine how he ended up being in that river."

Anyone with information regarding the Radel case should contact the St. Cloud Police Department at (320) 251-1200.